The reason for this website
Welcome to this website. I am interested in the pattern of people's daily exposure to the airborne particles that cause allergic diseases such as asthma or hayfever and in personal exposure to the airborne viruses that cause colds and influenza.
In order to identify the places where people get exposure and to reduce these exposures, we need to be able to measure them at different times and places where they may occur. At present the methods for this only collect single samples. If you want to know about different places then you collect a separate sample at each site. This creates logistical problems. There are no methods that can be used to continuously monitor the changes in exposure over time, for example during the course of the day as a person moves between different places during normal activity.
In 2014 our research group at the Woolcock Institute/University of Sydney built the first air sampler for this purpose. We call this model 1. In 2016, we published a paper about people's exposure to airborne mite allergen over 24 hour periods using this device (link).
Other people are interested in similar questions regarding exposure to indoor and outdoor allergens, and also exposure to fungi and airborne viruses in different allergic or occupational diseases and public health situations. In addition, studies like ours need to be repeated by researchers in both other countries and with other populations so a more generalised view of the common patterns of exposure can be developed.
We have designed a couple more samplers, which hopefully this improves on the model 1. The first of these was called model 2 , and only a couple were built in-house by us, -these were designed to address some design issues. As a result of this experience we designed an improvement, we have called this model 3. None of these are commercially available; you have to 'build your own'.
This website contains links and advice on the construction of the model 2 and model 3 samplers by 3D printing. We also provide links to other components for the samplers, links to different assays that can be used with these samplers. We also provide thoughts about current and future samplers and assays. We also include the original files for the earlier models as these can be modified to produce other designs.
Model 3 is by no means a 'final design'; there are many aspects which can be improved (see link in 'Development').
I retired from medical research in 2015 and no longer have access to facilities to continue this development.
This site has been constructed to facilitate the making and future development of time-based air samplers by others.
In order to identify the places where people get exposure and to reduce these exposures, we need to be able to measure them at different times and places where they may occur. At present the methods for this only collect single samples. If you want to know about different places then you collect a separate sample at each site. This creates logistical problems. There are no methods that can be used to continuously monitor the changes in exposure over time, for example during the course of the day as a person moves between different places during normal activity.
In 2014 our research group at the Woolcock Institute/University of Sydney built the first air sampler for this purpose. We call this model 1. In 2016, we published a paper about people's exposure to airborne mite allergen over 24 hour periods using this device (link).
Other people are interested in similar questions regarding exposure to indoor and outdoor allergens, and also exposure to fungi and airborne viruses in different allergic or occupational diseases and public health situations. In addition, studies like ours need to be repeated by researchers in both other countries and with other populations so a more generalised view of the common patterns of exposure can be developed.
We have designed a couple more samplers, which hopefully this improves on the model 1. The first of these was called model 2 , and only a couple were built in-house by us, -these were designed to address some design issues. As a result of this experience we designed an improvement, we have called this model 3. None of these are commercially available; you have to 'build your own'.
This website contains links and advice on the construction of the model 2 and model 3 samplers by 3D printing. We also provide links to other components for the samplers, links to different assays that can be used with these samplers. We also provide thoughts about current and future samplers and assays. We also include the original files for the earlier models as these can be modified to produce other designs.
Model 3 is by no means a 'final design'; there are many aspects which can be improved (see link in 'Development').
I retired from medical research in 2015 and no longer have access to facilities to continue this development.
This site has been constructed to facilitate the making and future development of time-based air samplers by others.
Proudly powered by Weebly