New Bioaerosol Sampler Launched

Amidst growing concerns with the health effects of airborne particles, Air Monitors (UK), a specialist instrumentation company, is launching a new portable air sampler which significantly enhances the ability to measure and control biological contamination.

The ‘Coriolis µ’ has a new wet-walled cyclone technology that improves bioaerosol sampling for bacteria, pollen, endotoxins, viruses and fungal spores. Traditional techniques rely on the impact of biological particles on a solid growth medium, but the Coriolis µ collects the particles in a liquid at a high flow rate (300 l/m) with validated efficiency. The liquid containing the particles is compatible with a number of the latest rapid microbiological analysis methods.

The Coriolis µ offers advantages for sampling air with a high bioaerosol burden (which would saturate traditional solid media) because the liquid can be divided into multiple agar plates. This technology is also ideal for air with a low burden, because the Coriolis µ can collect for an extended period.

Air Monitors, Managing Director Jim Mills says “This is an exciting development and I think that as scientific knowledge in this area grows, it will become a standard method very quickly. In the meantime, I can see a wide variety of research and air quality investigation applications that would greatly benefit from this technology.”