Bioaerosols

:: Section 9 of 10

Bioaerosol Sampling

III. SAMPLING METHODS: IMPINGERS

Liquid impingers also use inertia to physically collect the bioaerosols. However, they also use diffusion. Rather than having a solid or semi-solid collection medium like the impactor, the collection medium of the impinger is liquid. The air stream is similarly forced to take a tight corner, and the bioaerosols are collected into the liquid by inertial impaction. Bioaerosols can also diffuse out of the air stream into the liquid. Although liquid impingers rely partly on impaction, diffusion also contributes to the physical collection efficiency of very small bioaerosols.

Figure 14: Demonstration of impingement.

Would an impactor or impinger be more appropriate for airborne virus sampling? Why?

Answer