Enhanced performance of pocket-sized nanoparticle exposure monitor for healthy indoor environment

• We develop a pocket-sized cantilever-based airborne nanoparticle detector (Cantor).
• Main components of Cantor are described in details.
• Cantor is evaluated using carbon aerosols in typical workplace conditions.
• Cantor is calibrated with a fast mobility particle sizer (FMPS, TSI 3091).
• Specification comparison of two different Cantors is demonstrated.

An electrophoretic cantilever-based nanoparticle (NP) sensor was described and evaluated for personal monitoring of occupational exposure at indoor environment. Measurements performed under defined NP concentrations in a conditioned chamber confirmed the feasibility of the measurement principle. For the first laboratory sample of the sensor cyclic switching between NP sampling and frequency tracking revealed settling times of 5 min and 1.5 min, respectively, until stable conditions were reached. Using an enhanced design of the sampling head this response time was considerably reduced to 20 s. With a total device volume of 540 cm3, weight of 375 g, and power consumption of 1.25 W the fully integrated pocket-sized system can be easily held or worn, e. g., by workmen in nanotechnology industry during their working shifts.

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