The application and characteristics of technologies for bioaerosols collection

Abstract:

Bioaerosols are particles of biological origin that are suspended in the air and cover a wide size range. A large number of bioaerosols are emitted during the process of sewage and solid waste treatment. With an increasing attention towards bioaerosols, their generation, transmission and potential hazards to human health and environment have been extensively investigated. Various sampling technologies and devices have been developed for the collection of bioaerosols in the past 150 years. Each one of these methods and devices has its unique characteristics and suitable application areas. Sedimentation, inertial sampling and filtration are three typical techniques used for bioaerosol collection. This paper summarizes the operational principles, the collection efficiencies and the application scope of these techniques, which will serve as the scientific bases for bioaerosol investigations in future.