The Need

Aerobiology chambers on the market today face several challenges, particularly in studying biohazardous aerosols and testing anti-bioaerosol agents. Large, room-sized chambers, while capable of mimicking indoor environments, are cumbersome to operate, require extensive decontamination, and have high operational costs. Smaller bench-top units, although easier to manage, often lack critical features such as sample collection systems, including impingers and inline filter housings, which are essential for accurate and efficient sample collection and analysis. These limitations highlight the need for a solution that is both economically practical and possesses crucial features for testing and understanding biohazardous aerosols.

The Technology

OSU inventors have addressed the gaps in current market offerings by designing a practical and efficient solution for studying biohazardous aerosols and the testing of anti-bioaerosol agents. This free-standing, 0.5 cubic meter cuboid chamber is designed to be small enough to fit on a lab benchtop but also possesses critical features that allow for precise aero chamber environment control, different operating modes and built in sample collection.

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Unique Features and Benefits

• Optimized for Sample Recovery: The chamber is designed to prevent the decline of aerosolized viable pathogens and aerosols due to uncontrolled variables, ensuring recovery of samples that allow for meaningful testing.
• Multiple Operating Modes: The chamber can be configured in various modes such as sanitizing purge, nebulizing, hold, and system purge, making it versatile for different experimental needs.
• Sample Collection: Equipped with an impinger and inline filter housing, the chamber allows for efficient sample collection and analysis when either high or low sample concentrations are anticipated.
• Sanitizing Unit: A hydrogen peroxide sanitizing unit ensures thorough decontamination between experiments, reducing downtime and contamination risks.
• Environmental Control: The chamber includes a heating plate, dehumidifier, and internal fan to control humidity and temperature, ensuring stable and reproducible experimental condition