Disclosed are methods and systems for analyte detection in a sample and more particularly, a biological sample. Methods and systems particularly relate to differentiating and/or identifying cell types in biological samples, such as blood samples, by adding antibodies specific to predetermined CD antigens. Other methods and systems relate to controlling the dynamic range of an assay for analyte detection.

One variation of a method for detecting pathogens in an environment includes, during a first sampling period: triggering collection of a pathogen sample from ambient air in the environment by an air sampler; and tracking a first organic load of the first pathogen sample via a detection subsystem integrated within the air sampler, the first organic load representative of a first amount of organic matter present in the first pathogen sample. In response to the first organic load exceeding a threshold organic load defined for the environment, the method further includes: interpreting presence of a set of pathogens in the environment via genetic analysis of the first pathogen sample; and, in response to detecting presence of a first pathogen, in the set of pathogens, in the first pathogen sample, transmitting a notification indicating presence of the first pathogen in the environment to a user associated with the environment.

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.

A mold sensor include a housing that defines an enclosed chamber in which a nutrient-treated substrate is positioned. The mold sensor includes a substrate advancement mechanism that is configured to selectively move the substrate to expose a surface of the substrate within the chamber. The mold sensor includes a sensor configured to detect mold growth on the substrate within the chamber.

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.

Various embodiments described herein relate to apparatuses and methods for detecting fluid particles and their characteristics. In various embodiments, a device for detecting fluid particles and their characteristics may comprise a fluid composition sensor configured to receive a volume of fluid. The fluid composition sensor has a collection media housing configured to receive a portion of a collection media, a pump for moving a volume of fluid over the collection media housing, an imaging device configured to capture an image of particles on the collection media, and a particle matter mass concentration calculation circuitry configured to calculate a total particle matter mass. The particle matter mass concentration calculation circuitry is connected with the imaging device and the pump. The particle matter mass concentration calculation circuitry is configured to adjust the volume of fluid over the collection media housing.

The present invention relates to a filter substrate for filtering and optically characterizing microparticles. The filter substrate comprises a wafer having a thickness of at least 100 pm and a transmittance of at least 10% for radiation in the wavelength range of 2500 nm to 15000 nm. Furthermore, the surface of the front side and/or the surface of the rear side of the wafer is completely or partially provided with an antireflective layer, which prevents the optical reflection of radiation in the wavelength range of 200 nm to 10000 nm. Moreover, the wafer has, at least in some regions, filter holes having a diameter of 1 pm to 5 mm. With the filter substrate according to the invention, microparticles can be filtered and the microparticles on the filter substrate can be subsequently optically characterized with very high measurement quality. The present invention further relates to a method for producing the filter substrate according to the invention and to the use of the filter substrate according to the invention.

A testing system and test cartridge for analyzing a sample of water from a water source for specific analyte levels. The test cartridge including a membrane filter that captures a target analyte while allowing a labelled conjugate to permeate through the membrane. The conjugate includes an analyte-specific labelled binding reagent to bind with the target analyte for optical detection. The direct membrane interrogation (i.e., on-filter detection), determines analyte levels without elution of the analyte from a filter thereby improving analyte recovering and assay sensitivity.

A system and method for automated analysis of a filter obtained from an air quality monitoring apparatus used for sampling airborne respirable particles such as asbestos fibres, synthetic mineral fibres, pollen or mould particles is described. The system comprises capturing images at a plurality of sample locations. At least one magnified phase contrast image is obtained at each sample location. An automated quality assessment is then performed using a computer vision method to assess one or more quality criteria. Failure may lead to the sample location being ignored for subsequent analysis, or the whole filter slide may be rejected if the overall quality is poor. The quality assessment may performed be in two stages comprising an overall filter quality assessment performed on a series of low power/magnification images captured over the filter and a field of view or graticule level quality assessment performed on high power/magnification images captured at individual sample locations on the filter. Images which pass the quality assessment are then analysed using a computer vision method to identify and count the number of respirable particles.

A protection device for an oil-smoke sensor has a protection housing having two ends and an inner chamber; the first end having a first opening for receiving a probe of the oil-smoke sensor and in communication with the inner chamber; a second opening is disposed on the second end which is opposite to the first opening and in communication with the inner chamber. Because the probe is sealing mounted in the first opening, the probe will not be directly exposed in oil-smoke flow. The protective device is mounted such that the axial direction of the protective device is vertical to the oil-smoke flow direction. Therefore, the inner chamber of the protection housing has a pressure with respect to the oil-smoke flow that tangentially flows at a high speed, and the oil-smoke can only be diffused into the protection housing, thus, the probe is much less likely to be contaminated.