Atmospheric simulation chamber
ChAMBRe has unique characteristics and is equipped with a set of instruments/tools for aerosol characterization, in particular:
- Relative humidity, temperature and pressure gauges
- Gas and aerosol inlets
- Bio-aerosol nebulizers (BLAM, COLLISON and SLAG by CH-Technologies)
- Monodisperse aerosol generator (TSI 1520)
- Vacuum system (down to 10-5 mbar)
- Sampling ports for filters, impactors and continuous samplers
- 3 - SUN Solar Simulator (xenon arc lamp) coupled with a custom quartz window and equipped with AM1.5G filter
- Fiber-optic spectrometer (grating 200 - 1091 nm), Avantes
- Gas analyzers (O3, NOx, CO/CO2, SOx, BTX)
- Real-time aerosol monitoring (OPS & SMPS- TSI)
- Bioaerosol on-line spectrometer: WIBS-NEO
- 3-λ photo-acoustic system (PAXS, Droplet Measurements & Technologies, λ =870, 532, 405 nm)
- Aerosol samplers (Battelle Cascade impactor, 13-stage Nano-Moudi rotating cascade impactor for size segregated analysis)
- Bio-aerosol-specific samplers (Andersen-type cascade impactor , liquid impingers)
- Automatized petri-slides exposer
- Soot generator: Miniature Inverted Soot Generator, Argonaut Scientific Corporation.
- Gas diluter (eDilpro 230, Dekati)
Laboratory facilities
Several techniques for the off-line aerosol characterization are already available on site (see also the instrumentation list at labfisa/instrumentation) :
- Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (ED-XRF) and PIXE (at the LABEC facility of INFN-Florence);
- Ion Chromatography for anions, cations and sugars;
- Multi-wavelength optical system (MWAA) for non-destructive determination of Black and Brown Carbon (see Massabò et al., Atmos. Environ., 2015);
- Two-wavelength Thermo-optical analyzer of TC/OC/EC (SUNSET lab with home-made upgrades)
Specific tools for the analysis of biological aerosol viability and non-viability characteristics and morphological properties include:
- basic biological lab equipment allowing for culture analysis in vitro (isolation, identification, growth) and biochemical tests (e.g. catalase and oxidase): autoclave (Asal mod.760), vortex, centrifuge and microcentrifuge (Eppendorf centrifuge 5417R), water purification system Milli-Q (Millipore-Elix), incubator for temperature control Ecocell and Friocell MMM Group, Steril-VBH Compact “microbiological safety” cabinet, Thermo electron corporation steri-cycle HEPA Class 100 incubator;
- light and phase-contrast microscopes (Olympus CK2, Nikon Eclipse E200) for microorganisms size, shape, colony morphology characterization;
- optical microscope (Nikon Eclipse TE300) for bacterial detection and live/dead discrimination by epifluorescence with specific dyes and for immunoassay fluorescence to label antigenic bacterial target, fluorescent molecule or enzyme