Systems and methods for monitoring air particulate matter are provided herein that capture particles from the air for analysis. Particles are captured using electrostatic and/or mechanical means to deflect particles toward a substrate. Electrostatic precipitation causes charged carriers to deflect towards a charged substrate. Filtration-based means employ filters and/or fibers to capture particles from air flowing therethrough. A sensor such as a camera is used to read the captured particles. An illumination source directs light towards the substrate, causing the particles to scatter light, which the sensor can detect and derive information or imaging therefrom, which can also be used for further particle or pollution analyses. The substrate can be replenished using electrostatic techniques such as reverse electrostatic force, or mechanical means such as cleaning using a brush or replacing a tape substrate. Dynamic PM monitoring detects and makes adjustments such as those related to air volume, imaging characteristics and substrate replenishment.

Devices, methods and systems for monitoring, sampling, and filtering or sanitizing the air of an environment are provided. Devices and methods including air filtering units with smart features including connectivity and reporting features are provided wherein a unit is provided to communicate with a system. Based on detected values related to air contamination and particulates entrained in the air, the system and methods are capable of performing various functions including reporting and remediation functions.

In at least one implementation, a blank washer inspection process includes the steps of: applying at least one test particle to a blank; washing the blank having the test particle thereon; inspecting the blank after it has been washed to identify any test particle on the blank; and comparing any test particle identified in the inspection step to a threshold. The threshold may relate to a control property of the test particle. In at least some implementations, the control property is the size of the particle and a maximum size may be set as a threshold. Other control properties may be used. Further the test particles may include detection properties to facilitate identifying test particles and distinguishing among test particles in different groups.

The invention relates to a device for measuring, in near-real-time, the level of black carbon, brown carbon, organic carbon, total carbon and CO.sub.2 in air. The device also provides for a direct calculation of aerosol angstrom coefficient as well as estimation of emissions rates of black carbon or brown carbon from nearby combustion sources.

The method is for quantification of sub-visible particles. A filter membrane is provided that has a plurality of pores defined therethrough. The pores are sealed with a sealant such as glycine or poly-vinyl alcohol (PVA). A sample droplet, containing liquid and sub-visible particles, is applied onto the filter membrane. The liquid dissolves the sealant in pores disposed directly below the sample droplet. The liquid flows through the pores in which the sealant has been dissolved and the sub-visible particles remain on top of the filter membrane. The particles are enumerated in an electron microscope.

Sample monitoring and flow control systems and methods are disclosed for monitoring of airborne particulates. A system may include a particle collection filter. The system also includes a fluid moving device for moving a sample through the particle collection filter. Further, the system includes a light source configured to direct irradiating light towards the particle collection filter. The system also includes a light detector positioned to receive the irradiating light passing through the particle collection filter and configured to generate a signal representative of an amount of the received light. Further, the system includes a controller configured to receive the signal and to control the fluid moving device based on the amount of the received light.

A system and method for automated analysis of a membrane filter obtained from an air quality monitoring apparatus used for sampling airborne respirable fibres such as asbestos and synthetic mineral fibres is described. The system comprises capturing a macroscale image a membrane filter and analysing macroscale image using a computer vision method to determine a countable area of the membrane filter and one or more excluded regions within the countable area of the membrane filter. These excluded regions comprise membrane filter grid lines, air bubbles and large particulate matter. The slide is then placed on a robotic XY stage of a digital phase contrast microscope which is used to capture at least one magnified phase contrast image at each of 20 or more sample locations located across the filter member. The sample locations are selected such that a field of view at each sample location does not contain an excluded region. The magnified phase contrast images are analysed using a computer vision method to identify and count the number of fibres in the field of view, and the total number of fibres is then reported.

Provided is an airborne microbial measurement apparatus and a method of measuring the same. The airborne microbial measurement apparatus includes a particle separation device comprising an introduction part for introducing air and a nozzle part disposed on one side of the introduction part, a microbial particle passage through which microbial particles in the air passing through an inner passage of the nozzle part flow, an air particle passage through which air particles in the air passing through an outer space of the nozzle part flow, a collection device communicating with the microbial particle passage, the collection device comprising a filter part onto which the microbial particles are collected, and a luminescence measurement device dispose on one side of the collection device to detect an amount or intensity of light emitted from the microbial particles collected onto the filter part.

An apparatus comprising one or more pairs of analyzers measures light absorbing particulates, including black, brown, and ultraviolet light absorbing organic aerosols, suspended in gaseous samples, such as air. One analyzer receives an ambient gas sample, while the other analyzer is coupled to a dilution inlet that mixes ambient gas with a proportion of clean gas, whereby the two received samples have different particulate concentrations. Filters with identical filter areas accumulate particulates as the respective samples flow through with equal flow rate and velocity. An optical source and detector for each filter measures a changing property (e.g. attenuation at one or more wavelengths) as particulates accumulate. A computer uses the differential particulate accumulation from the ambient and diluted samples to compensate for filter loading effects upon the measurement to provide an accurate indication of particulate concentration in the ambient sample.

Embodiments described herein relate to a cleaning device and methods for cleaning an object. In one embodiment, the object is cleaned by moving a clean head along a surface of the object. Supercritical carbon dioxide fluid is delivered by supercritical carbon dioxide fluid vessel to the surface of the object. The supercritical carbon dioxide fluid and contamination material are removed from the object by a vacuum pump to a detector. One or more measurements of the contamination material are determined by the detector. Samples of the contamination material are collected by a collector. A contamination level of the surface of the object is determined by an analyzer.