Solutions

Combustion particles pass into the bloodstream after being inhaled into the lung. Our sizing (SEMS) and chemistry (TAP, STAP & PILS) tools reveal key properties of airborne pollutants.

Sampling at 400 mph can be a real challenge. Our ISO, CVI and UAV inlets make the job easier by automatically adjusting for operating conditions and providing representative samples.

Long-term monitoring (GCVI) is needed to reveal climate change impacts. From UAVs to ground sites, measurements extend our understanding and improve models.

The COVID pandemic has opened our eyes to the key role airborne droplets play in transmitting diseases. Tools like the PILS  and GCVI can sample large, COVID-containing droplets and other chemical species directly from the air and maintain viable virus samples for on-line analysis or off-line studies using vial collection.

How well do inexpensive air quality sensors work? Reference instruments (SEMS, mOPC) can provide an important reality check on low-cost devices.

What if rain patterns change so much due to climate change that some people do not get enough water to grow their food? It may be possible to seed clouds with ice nuclei or other aerosol to induce rain. Our tools (GCVI, CVI, HTDMA, SEMS) are used to determine which particles act as nuclei in real clouds, and to measure their key properties.

Increases in wildfire frequency have been tied to climate change, and particulate matter from wildfires can severely impact human health. Several Brechtel-developed tools (TAP, STAP) are used to measure fire plumes and assess population exposures. Mobile platforms like UAVs can easily be equipped with soot detectors to allow real-time mapping of plumes.