A High-throughput, Robotic System for Analysis of Aerosol Sampling Filters

Abstract

The determination of accumulated mass on filter-based aerosol samples is the basis for many forms of scientific research and regulatory monitoring of air quality. However, gravimetric analysis of air sampling filters is tedious, time-intensive, and prone to human error. This work describes the development of an Automated Air Analysis Facility (AIRLIFT) for highthroughput gravimetric mass and optical black carbon measurements of filter-based aerosol samples. The AIRLIFT consists of a sealed environmental enclosure, a 6-axis articulating robotic arm, a programmable control system, a filter weighing apparatus, and an optical system for the determination of aerosol black carbon via light attenuation. The system actively monitors microbalance stability and chamber relative humidity. Digital imaging and QR code scanning support sample tracking and data logging. Performance metrics for temperature and humidity control and weight stability were found to meet or exceed minimum requirements set forth by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The AIRLIFT is capable of analyzing approximately 260 filters per day while reducing the required personnel time by a factor of ~4.

Atomic spectrometry update – a review of advances in environmental analysis

“…A novel signal-enhancement strategy for LIBS analysis of soil combined 201 APGD and cylindrical (plasma) connement. The LODs of 2,31,21,35,49,67,43,20 and 18 mg kg −1 for Ba, Cu, Eu, La, Lu, Ni, Ti, Y and Yb, respectively, were signicantly better than the values (10,133,102,175,262,356,246,158 and 105 mg kg −1 , respectively) achievable using conventional LIBS. An alternative approach involved 202 addition of 15% KI to soil samples to increase plasma temperature and electron density.…”

“…Gravimetric analysis of air filter samples remains a tedious and time-consuming activity but the development of robotic systems has made unattended automated operations a reality. The development of AIRLIFT extended 31 measurement operations beyond just filter weighing. The system consisted of a sealed environmentally-controlled chamber, a 6-axis articulating robotic arm, a 6-place balance for filter weighing and an optical measuring system for determining black carbon content.…”

AirPen: A Wearable Monitor for Characterizing Exposures to Particulate Matter and Volatile Organic Compounds

“…These sample analysis costs are not present when personal exposures are measured using low-cost sensors alone, but low-cost sensors provide no information on PM or VOC composition to facilitate source identification and health impact assessment. Sample analysis costs can be minimized by taking advantage of automated systems such as robotic weighing facilities 43 and thermal desorption tube autosamplers.…”

Socioeconomic and Demographic Associations with Wintertime Air Pollution Exposures at Household, Community, and District Scales in Rural Beijing, China

“…Filters were weighed on a microbalance (Mettler Toledo Inc., XS3DU, USA) with a 1 μg resolution in triplicate or more in the Automated Air Analysis Facility (AIRLIFT), until the differences among three weights were less than 3 μg. 31 The filter mass was blank-corrected using the median value of field blank filters [3 μg for UPAS-collected filters (53% of samples) and 27 μg for PEM-collected filters (47% of samples)], and PM 2.5 concentrations were calculated by dividing the mass by the sampled air volume.…”