The present subject disclosure discloses devices, systems, and methods related to collection and recovery of Aerosols and Bioaerosols for analysis. The system includes an omni-directional inlet assembly that is easily removed for decontamination and can be replaced with an already clean inlet assembly or with directional inlets or other tools for collection from animal breathing zones, air ducts, air nearing moving vehicles and other sampling scenarios. Further, the system includes other features that enable the device to be lower in cost than other similar systems while providing improved usability and performance.

A method of spectrometric analysis comprises obtaining one or more sample spectra for an aerosol, smoke or vapour sample. The one or more sample spectra are subjected to pre-processing and then multivariate and/or library based analysis so as to classify the aerosol, smoke or vapour sample. The results of the analysis are used for various surgical or non-surgical applications.

Various embodiments are directed to a device for detecting fluid particle characteristics comprising: a collection fluid dispense assembly configured to selectively dispense a volume of collection fluid onto an absorbent media disposed within an internal sensor portion of a fluid composition sensor, producing a collection media based on interaction between the volume of collection fluid and the absorbent media; and a controller configured to determine, based on a particle image captured by an imaging device, a particle characteristic associated with a particle captured at the collection media. In various embodiments a device is configured to receive therein a collection media comprising a biologically nutritive substance; and may comprise an imaging device and a controller configured to determine a biological particle characteristic based on a comparison of first particle data and second particle data generated by the imaging device, the second particle data being associated with an incubated particle configuration.

A detector inlet for providing a sample to an analytical apparatus for detecting an aerosol, the detector inlet comprising; an intake for inhaling a flow of gaseous fluid to be sampled by the analytical apparatus; a mixing region; a first conduit for carrying a first part of the flow of gaseous fluid from the intake to the mixing region; a second conduit for carrying a second part of the flow of gaseous fluid from the intake to the mixing region; and a heater configured to heat the first part more than the second part, and wherein the detector inlet is configured to combine the first part with the second part in the mixing region.

A sampling device comprising a filter to remove particulates greater than about 10 microns, a dryer active to remove water vapor present in the air sample, a chemical scrubber active to remove contaminants from the air sample, a cold trap to capture analytes which is configurable to be put into fluid communication with a spectroscopic analyzer. A method of obtaining and analyzing a sample utilizing the device is also disclosed.

A method of analysis using mass spectrometry and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed. The method comprises: using a first device to generate smoke, aerosol or vapour from a target comprising or consisting of a microbial population; mass analysing and/or ion mobility analysing said smoke, aerosol or vapour, or ions derived therefrom, in order to obtain spectrometric data; and analysing said spectrometric data in order to analyse said microbial population.

Various embodiments include methods and systems to dilute a sampled particle-laden aerosol stream in a recirculating type of aerosol diluter system. In one embodiment, a system to dilute a sampled aerosol stream includes an aerosol sample inlet. A primary diluter device includes a first inlet to receive the aerosol stream and a second inlet to receive a filtered portion of the aerosol stream and combining the filtered portion with an additional sampled aerosol stream. A flow diverter device splits at least the sampled aerosol stream into a first portion of the sampled aerosol stream and a remaining portion of the sampled aerosol stream. A filter receives the remaining portion of the sampled aerosol stream and provides a filtered aerosol stream to the second inlet of the primary diluter device. Other methods and apparatuses are disclosed.

An apparatus for studying aerosol includes a test chamber having panels defining an enclosed interior volume. The panels have (i) a first wall having a surface defining an interior of the test chamber, (ii) a second wall defining an exterior of the test chamber, (iii) a void space between the first and second walls, (iv) a panel inlet in communication with the void space, and (v) a panel outlet in communication with the void space. The apparatus includes a chamber inlet port and a chamber outlet port, each extending through one of the panels and in communication with the enclosed interior volume. The apparatus includes a fan disposed in, and positioned and configured to mix air in, the enclosed interior volume. The apparatus includes a trap port extending through one of panels and includes a valve to permit sampling of the contents in the enclosed interior volume.

Portable real-time airborne fungi acquiring and detecting equipment and method are provided, the equipment includes a light source device, a manual constant-flow air pump, an impactor, an airborne fungi enrichment and dyeing device, and a fluorescence data collecting and processing device sequentially connected. The fluorescence detection technology is combined with the microparticle separation technology to develop the portable airborne fungi real-time acquiring and detecting equipment. This equipment improves the complex and extensive collection methods in conventional airborne fungi detection and the demand limitation of independent detection equipment, and realizes the real-time collection and quantification of airborne fungi concentration. Moreover, the equipment has the advantages of small volume, low costs, easy operation and is easy to be prompted.

One variation of a method includes, during a calibration period: triggering collection of an initial bioaerosol sample by an air sampler located in an environment; and triggering dispensation of a tracer test load by a dispenser located in the environment; accessing a detected barcode level of a barcode detected in the initial bioaerosol sample; accessing a true barcode level of the barcode contained in the tracer test load; and deriving a calibration factor for the environment based on a difference between the detected barcode level and the true barcode level. The method further includes, during a live period succeeding the calibration period: triggering collection of a first bioaerosol sample by the air sampler; accessing a detected pathogen level of a pathogen detected in the first bioaerosol sample; and interpreting a predicted pathogen level of the pathogen in the environment based on the detected pathogen level and the calibration factor.