Air-O-Cell Sampling Guide


Zefon's Air-O-Cell is a linear spore trap with an impaction trace and is used for the collection of airborne bio-aerosols including fungi, pollen, and particulate.

Spore traps are appropriate for air sampling at the beginning of an investigation to set a baseline and as a final check for clearance sampling.

They can also be used for monitoring during the remediation process.

The Air-O-Cell cassette is attached to a Zefon Biopump Plus which is capable of drawing 15 litres per minute.

The cassette is sent to Eurofins, where it is disassembled and the slide is stained and examined microscopically by a qualified analyst.

Sampling times depend upon the environment being sampled. The table below has suggested times for various environmental conditions.

Suggested Sampling Times
Environment Flow Rate Duration
 Outside 15 LPM  5 - 10 Minutes
 Clean Room 15 LPM 10 Minutes
 Indoor - Occupied 15 LPM 5 Minutes
 Basement or Dusty Room 15 LPM 3-5 Minutes
 Wall Cavity 15 LPM 1 Minute

 

Procedure

  • Check the expiry date of the Air-O-Cell is current and remove the seal from the bottom of the cassette and retain to reseal when sampling is complete.
  • Attach the cassette to a calibrated Bio-Pump.
  • Remove the seal from the top of the cassette and retain to reseal when sampling is complete.
  • Set the desired run time for sampling.
  • Press "start" and record the sampling time on the Chain of Custody form. The Bio-Pump will turn itself off.
  • Disconnect Air-O-Cell from the Bio-Pump and reseal cassette
  • Record sample information on cassette and Chain of Custody
  • Store cassette in a cool, dry area (<40oC).

There is no maximum time for the analysis to be completed but it is advised to have the count & identification determined within the shortest possible time.

Please refer to the following Zefon Training Videos.