A new technique for collecting ambient diesel particles for bioassays

This paper describes a new application of a viable aerosol sampler, the Liquid Electrostatic Aerosol Precipitator (LEAP), for the collection of diesel particles for bioassays of pulmonary toxicity and mutagenicity or carcinogenicity. Currently used methods (filtration, dry electrostatic precipitation) cause agglomeration of particles and increases in particle size up to twenty-fold, which may alter particle toxicity significantly. Collection of diesel particles with the LEAP preserved submicronic particle size. Differences in chemical composition of extracts of surface adsorbents as compared to particles collected on filters also were observed. This technique may be applicable for collection of other types of combustion products or oil mists that agglomerate when collected by filtration.