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ABSTRACT. An earlier study evaluated the physical performance of the Swirling Aerosol Collector, also known as the``BioSampler,'' and found it to have several advantages over the widely used AGI-30 impinger when tested with inert test particles. Th e present study was focused on the ph ysical and biological performan ce with laboratory-aerosolized microorganisms. The results showed th at the BioSampler has better physical collection ef® ciency for B. subtilis an d P.¯uo-rescens than the AGI-30 wh en water was used as the collection¯uid an d the sampling¯ow rate ranged from 8.5 L min I 1 to the standard 12.5 L min I 1 . Additionally, the BioSampler provided equivalent or better microbial recovery for the 2 species than the AGI-30 did. The swirling motion of the collection liquid in the BioSampler generates very few bubbles and therefore causes minimal reentrainment of already collected microorganisms. In contrast to the AGI-30, the BioSampler can be used very effectively with nonevaporating liquids, such as mineral oil or glycerol. Mineral oil was found to be a suitable collection¯uid for culture an alysis, wh ereas glycerol can be used only for non culture assays, such as the polymerase chain reaction. By using a more viscous, nonevaporating¯uid, the BioSampler can be used for long-term sampling of low airborne bacterial concentrations, while the AGI-30 impinger, ® lled with a standard evaporating¯uid, can only be used for up to abou t 30 min.

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