LUNA INNOVATIONS INCORPORATED — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: A20-124

Description

Exploration of sites known to be contaminated with biological agents poses risks to personnel. Donning the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) will mitigate health risks, however continued sampling of aerosols is required to continually evaluate ongoing risk and either waning or intensification of exposure to the biological agent, which may entail changes in PPE and protocols. Existing devices which collect biological aerosols within the breathing zone are cumbersome devices requiring power and calibration. A low-burden passive biological air sampler that is compatible with down-stream bioanalytical measurement methods is desired.  In response to the defined need for a better solution to sampling the air in the breathing zone for biological aerosols, Luna is proposing to develop a passive biological air sampler. This device will eliminate the power and portability limitations of the existing technologies, and will be seamlessly integrated in PPE ensembles.  Luna’s air sampling technology is proven for use with standard biological quantitation methods like PCR and antibody-procedures.  Luna’s technology will be a lightweight low-profile burdenless addition that will provide important information on biological hazards to keep personnel safe.