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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1972 June; 23(6): 1140-1144
Copyright © 1972 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Simple Liquid Scrubber for Large-Volume Air Sampling

^a U.S. Army Biological Defense Research Center, Ft. Detrick, Frederick, Maryland 21701

ABSTRACT

A new large-volume air sampler called the "simple liquid scrubber" is described. It can recover a high percentage of microorganisms from large volumes of air, up to 950 liters/min, and concentrate them into a small volume of liquid at a ratio of about 400,000 to 1. The principle of operation of the scrubber is based on the production of a fine mist in a rapidly moving airstream with ultimate collection of the airborne particles by impingement into the film of liquid formed upon impaction of the mist droplets on the scrubber walls. The scrubber compared favorably with the all-glass impinger (AGI-30) and the slit sampler in tests with the normal flora and with experimental aerosols of Bacillus subtilis var. niger spores.

¹ Present address: Spearman, Tex. 79081. Retired.

² Present address: Biological Defense Material Directorate, Edgewood Arsenal, Md. 21010.

³ Present address: Oregon State University, Corvallis, Ore. 97331.

⁴ Present address: 512 Valley Street, Frederick, Md. 21701.