Aerosol collection with suspended liquid films

A novel aerosol collection technique employing suspended liquid films has been investigated to advance current air sampling methods for detecting airborne particles, including pathogens. Electrostatic precipitation has recently emerged as a promising technique for efficiently capturing various airborne particles (Foat et al., 2016; Chan et al., 2023). Building on this principle, the developed method employs strong electrostatic fields to directly capture airborne material into a low-volume suspended liquid film. This approach aims to increase particle concentration and minimise system losses, significantly enhancing both system sensitivity and limits of detection. Additionally, collecting particles into liquid form is anticipated to help maintain the viability of collected biological materials.