Aerobiology: Experimental Considerations, Observations, and Future Tools

• Published in: Applied and environmental microbiology Vol. 83; no. 17
• Main Authors: Haddrell, Allen E, Thomas, Richard J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Society for Microbiology 01.09.2017
• Subjects: Aerobiology; Aerosols; Aerosols - analysis; Air Microbiology; Airborne microorganisms; Atmospheric chemistry; Atmospheric models; Bacteria - classification; Bacteria - genetics; Bacteria - isolation & purification; Bioaerosols; Biological activity; Biology; Epidemiology; Experiments; Microbiological Techniques - instrumentation; Microbiological Techniques - methods; Microbiological Techniques - trends; Microbiology; Microorganisms; Minireview; Particle physics; Particle Size; Physics; Public health; Risk analysis; Sampling; Transport; atmospheric transport; aerosol survival; bioaerosol
• ISSN: 0099-2240; 1098-5336
• DOI: 10.1128/aem.00809-17

Understanding airborne survival and decay of microorganisms is important for a range of public health and biodefense applications, including epidemiological and risk analysis modeling. Techniques for experimental aerosol generation, retention in the aerosol phase, and sampling require careful consideration and understanding so that they are representative of the conditions the bioaerosol would experience in the environment. This review explores the current understanding of atmospheric transport in relation to advances and limitations of aerosol generation, maintenance in the aerosol phase, and sampling techniques. Potential tools for the future are examined at the interface between atmospheric chemistry, aerosol physics, and molecular microbiology where the heterogeneity and variability of aerosols can be explored at the single-droplet and single-microorganism levels within a bioaerosol. The review highlights the importance of method comparison and validation in bioaerosol research and the benefits that the application of novel techniques could bring to increasing the understanding of aerobiological phenomena in diverse research fields, particularly during the progression of atmospheric transport, where complex interdependent physicochemical and biological processes occur within bioaerosol particles.