Open AccessSpectral characterization of biological aerosol particles using two-wavelength excited laser-induced fluorescence and elastic scattering measurements
Author(s) -
Vasanthi Sivaprakasam,
Horn-Bond Lin,
Alan L. Huston,
Jay D. Eversole
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.19.006191
Subject(s) - aerosol , wavelength , fluence , materials science , optics , fluorescence , mie scattering , laser induced fluorescence , scattering , light scattering , laser , particle (ecology) , optoelectronics , chemistry , physics , oceanography , organic chemistry , geology
A two-wavelength laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) instrument has been developed and used to characterize individual biological aerosol particles, including biological warfare (BW) agent surrogates. Fluorescence in discrete spectral bands from widely different species, and also from similar species under different growth conditions were measured and compared. The two-wavelength excitation approach was found to increase discrimination among several biological materials, and especially with respect to diesel exhaust particles, a common interferent for LIF BW detection systems. The spectral characteristics of a variety of biological materials and ambient air components have been studied as a function of aerosol particle size and incident fluence.