Analysis of portable impactor performance for enumeration of viable bioaerosols

Portable impactors are increasingly being used to estimate concentration of bioaerosols in residential and occupational environments; however, little data are available about their performance. This study investigated the overall performances of the SMA MicroPortable, BioCulture, Microflow, Microbiological Air Sampler (MAS-100), Millipore Air Tester, SAS Super 180, and RCS High Flow portable microbial samplers when collecting bacteria and fungi both indoors and outdoors. The performance of these samplers was compared with that of the BioStage impactor. The Button Aerosol Sampler equipped with gelatin filter was also included in the study. Results showed that the sampling environment can have a statistically significant effect on sampler performance, most likely due to the differences in airborne microorganism composition and/or their size distribution. Data analysis using analysis of variance showed that the relative performance of all samplers (except the RCS High Flow and MAS-100) was statistically different (lower) compared with the BioStage. The MAS-100 also had statistically higher performance compared with other portable samplers except the RCS High Flow. The Millipore Air Tester and the SMA had the lowest performances. The relative performance of the impactors was described using a multiple linear regression model (R(2) = 0.83); the effects of the samplers' cutoff sizes and jet-to-plate distances as predictor variables were statistically significant. The data presented in this study will help field professionals in selecting bioaerosol samplers. The developed empirical formula describing the overall performance of bioaerosol impactors can assist in sampler design.