Personal electrostatic bioaerosol sampler with high sampling flow rate

Abstract

A personal electrostatic bioaerosol sampler (PEBS) for collecting bioaerosols (from virus to pollen) at high sampling flow rates and for measuring personal exposures to bioaerosols in various occupational environments, particularly at their low concentrations and for extended periods of time, and a method of using same, are disclosed. The PEBS includes a base holder, a charging section, and a collection section. Charging section includes a first member inside a center of charging section configured to be connected to positive or negative high voltage and a second member disposed therearound a midpoint of first member inside charging section configured to be grounded such that a plurality of ions are produced for charging a plurality of incoming particles. A collection plate is releasably secured inside collection section such that when collection section is grounded and negative or positive high voltage is connected to collection plate, a plurality of charged incoming particles are deposited onto collection plate by an electrostatic field. A middle section of base holder is configured to partly receive charging section and collection section via an opening therethrough such that charging section is secured to a first side of base holder and collection section is secured to a second side of base holder when sampler is in an assembled configuration.