Field testing of a personal size-selective bioaerosol sampler

Area of Science:

• Occupational Hygiene
• Environmental Science
• Microbiology

Background:

• Existing bioaerosol samplers often lack standardized sampling efficiencies and may compromise microorganism viability.
• Current personal dust samplers can dehydrate collected microorganisms, impacting viability.
• There is a need for personal bioaerosol samplers that adhere to international conventions and ensure biological stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a novel personal bioaerosol sampler designed for size-selective collection of inhalable, thoracic, and respirable fractions.
• To assess the sampler's ability to enhance microorganism survival.
• To evaluate the sampler's ease of use in field and laboratory settings.

Main Methods:

• A prototype personal bioaerosol sampler was tested at occupation-related field sites with expected high bioaerosol concentrations.
• The sampler's performance was compared to the standard IOM filter method.
• Microorganism survival was assessed for culture and identification after several hours of sampling.

Main Results:

• The novel sampler demonstrated ease of use in field applications.
• Size-fractionated analysis was feasible, offering advantages over non-fractionating methods.
• Microorganism survival was adequate for culture and identification during extended sampling periods.
• The sampler performed comparably to the standard IOM filter method, with added size-fractionation benefits.

Conclusions:

• The developed personal bioaerosol sampler effectively collects size-fractionated inhalable dust while maintaining microorganism viability.
• The sampler is suitable for extended sampling periods in occupational settings.
• The underlying porous foam technology has potential applications in other occupational hygiene and indoor air quality monitoring scenarios (e.g., PM10, PM2.5).