This invention relates to a sensor that detects bacteria cells comprising (a) a primary negatively charged, nanoparticulate sensing material; (b) a secondary positively charged, fluorescent sensing material; (c) a housing; and (d) at least one illuminator; wherein said housing contains said primary negatively charged, nanoparticulate sensing material, said secondary positively charged fluorescent sensing material and a sample potentially comprising bacteria in aqueous medium, wherein said illuminator provides light of at least one pre-specified wavelength .sub.i to excite at least said secondary positively charged, fluorescent material, wherein said secondary positively charged, fluorescent material electrostatically attached to bacteria cells provides at least one fluorescent response at a second different wavelength .sub.n wherein both i and n are integers, wherein said negatively charged, nanoparticulate sensing material electrostatically attached to said fluorescent material suppresses fluorescing of said fluorescent material at said second wavelength .sub.n; and wherein said housing permits illumination of the contents of said housing by said illuminator and wherein said housing further permits the detection of a fluorescent response at a second wavelength .sub.n. The negatively charged material includes (dsDNA coated) spherical AuNPs and graphene oxide (GO). The positively charged fluorescent material includes water soluble cationic conjugated polyelectrolytes (COPE) or positively charged peptide/polymer labeled with fluorescence dye. The sensor makes use of the FRET phenomenon between the primary and secondary sensing materials. The sensor allows making a distinction between living and dead bacteria and can measure the total bacteria count. A method for detecting bacteria utilizing the sensor is another part of the invention.

A particle growth apparatus includes a temperature-controlled humidifier coupled to a water-based condensation growth system. The humidifier may include a tube of sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene-based fluoropolymer-copolymer and surrounded by a region containing water or water vapor. The apparatus includes a wetted wick and wick sensor in the condensation growth system, configured such that the gas sample flows through the sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene-based fluoropolymer-copolymer tube into the condensation growth system.

A method for separating particles in a biofluid includes pretreating the biofluid by introducing an additive, flowing the pretreated biofluid through a microfluidic separation channel, and applying acoustic energy to the microfluidic separation channel. A system for microfluidic separation, capable of separating target particles from non-target particles in a biofluid includes at least one microfluidic separation channel, a source of biofluid, a source of additive, and at least one acoustic transducer coupled to the microfluidic separation channel. A kit for microfluidic particle separation includes a microfluidic separation channel connected to an acoustic transducer, a source of an additive, and instructions for use.

Provided herein, among other aspects, are methods and apparatuses for analyzing particles in a sample. In some aspects, the particles can be analytes, cells, nucleic acids, or proteins and contacted with a tag, partitioned into aliquots, detected by a ranking device, and isolated. The methods and apparatuses provided herein may include a microfluidic chip. In some aspects, the methods and apparatuses may be used to quantify rare particles in a sample, such as cancer cells and other rare cells for disease diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment.

Provided is a flow analyzer and a flow analysis method each of which makes it possible to stably and continuously measure a sample. The flow analyzer and the flow analysis method each include: a marker introducing device (2) which is for introducing a marker into a tube (3); and a marker detecting device (5) which detects the marker and outputs a detection signal to an analyzing device (4), the analyzing device (4) acquiring analysis data on the basis of the detection signal.

A method for separating particles in a biofluid includes pretreating the biofluid by introducing an additive, flowing the pretreated biofluid through a microfluidic separation channel, and applying acoustic energy to the microfluidic separation channel. A system for microfluidic separation, capable of separating target particles from non-target particles in a biofluid includes at least one microfluidic separation channel, a source of biofluid, a source of additive, and at least one acoustic transducer coupled to the microfluidic separation channel. A kit for microfluidic particle separation includes a microfluidic separation channel connected to an acoustic transducer, a source of an additive, and instructions for use.

A device, system and method for the detection and screening of plastic microparticles in a sample is disclosed. A nanoporous silicon nitride membrane is used to entrap plastic microparticles contained in the sample. The sample may be a water sample, an air sample, or other liquid or gas sample. The entrapped plastic microparticles are then heated or otherwise processed on the nanoporous silicon nitride membrane. An imaging system observes the nanoporous silicon nitride membrane with the entrapped plastic microparticles to determine the type and quantity of the various plastic microparticles that are entrapped on the membrane.

Disclosed is an apparatus for monitoring bioaerosols, including a capturer configured to capture bioaerosol particles in air in a capture solution; a particle sprayer configured to electro-spray the capture solution in a form of droplets such that the particles are included in at least some of the sprayed droplets; and an analyzer configured to analyze the particles, sprayed through the particle sprayer, by machine learning. In accordance with such a configuration, the droplets containing a certain amount of the particles can be continuously analyzed in real time by machine learning, thereby contributing to the improvement of monitoring efficiency for a specific bioaerosol genus.

A particulate detector is used to detect particulates in gas. The particulate detector includes a housing, an electric-charge generator, a collector, a noise canceller, and a number detection unit. The housing has a gas flow path through which the gas passes. The electric-charge generator applies electric charges generated by electric discharge to the particulates in the gas that is introduced into the gas flow path to obtain charged particulates. The collector is disposed on the gas flow path downstream of the electric-charge generator in a direction of flow of the gas and collects the charged particulates. The noise canceller cancels a noise that is made due to the electric discharge of the electric-charge generator. The number detection unit detects the number of the particulates on the basis of a physical quantity that varies in response to the charged particulates collected by the collector.

Provided is a use of an aggregation-induced emission compound in dispersion detecting of nanoparticles. The dispersion detecting of nanoparticles includes modifying the aggregation-induced emission compound on the surfaces of the nanoparticles to obtain a modified nanoparticles solution. The dispersion detecting of nanoparticles includes exciting the modified nanoparticles solution and determining the dispersion of the nanoparticles by the luminescence state of the solution.