MRI Track 1: Acquisition of an Advanced System for Real-time Measurement and Monitoring of Bioaerosols

This project involves the purchase and setup of a field-deployable, continuous-flow instrument for real-time sampling and characterization of bioaerosols. Applications to potentially be advanced through the acquisition of this instrument are (1) bioaerosol, including pollen, lifecycle studies in grassland and forested ecosystems; (2) pathogen transport studies, including indoor settings, agricultural lands, and dusty regions; (3) biological ice-nucleating particle typing and identification; and (4) identification of airborne microplastics and other novel particles in lab and field studies. The project provides training opportunities for students and early career researchers, and a team of collaborators has been identified who will utilize the instrument. Lack of adequate technology has been a limitation in characterizing atmospheric bioaerosols. It is anticipated that the acquisition of the SwisensPoleno Jupiter instrument will provide new insights in this underexplored area. The instrument combines state-of-the-art measurement methods with artificial intelligence databases for automatic particle identification. The sensor train includes optical sizing, fluorescence, polarization, and holography. The instrument operates at a high flow rate and is non-destructive, enabling its coupling to other continuous-flow devices for further single-particle characterization, or collection onto substrates for microscopy or bulk analyses. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.