Air sampling is used to collect samples of airborne particles present in an environment. Analyses of the samples provides information about exposure to substances including mold, pollen, biowarfare pathogens such as anthrax spores, bacteria, and other potentially harmful particles. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has invented a device that efficiently samples air and developed a method for real-time, on-site analyses of the collected particles. It is small enough to be worn as a personal sampler. Industrial hygienists and safety inspectors can wear the personal sampler to collect breathing zone samples which mimic workers' exposure. Alternatively, it may be placed on a surface to sample the air in a given environment. It has a wide range of applications including water-damaged homes, schools, offices, poultry farms, underground mines, demolition sites, and other workplaces where air quality is a concern.

Inventors: Teh-hsun Chen, Greg Feather, Teswani Jyoti, Herpbert Edgell

CDC Reference Number: I-020-03/0

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