A New Prototype Instrument for Modelling Health Impacts of Bioaerosol

Bioaerosols are airborne particles that either contain or were emitted from a living organism (e.g. viruses, bacteria and spores). Recent studies have demonstrated that bioaerosols impact on climate, acting as cloud condensation nuclei, and influence atmospheric composition and chemistry. Further, the spread of diseases such as tuberculosis, norovirus, staphylococcus aureus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome through droplets in air is unfortunately common. However, the physiological characteristics of the microorganism that determine their survival while suspended in air and that regulate the transmission of diseases, determining the viability and infectivity of bacteria and viruses, remain challenging to elucidate. The possibility of synergistic interactions of bacteria/viruses with gas and condensed phase components of primary and secondary organic aerosol (POA and SOA) in polluted atmospheres is even less well-established. We have recently developed a new instrument for assessing the viability and infectivity of bacteria in the atmospheric aerosol phase and the influence of typical organic aerosol composition (e.g. from urban pollution) on viability. Such measurements are required to improve models of the spread of infectious diseases in the ambient aerosol phase. In this project, we will work with Biral to further improve the robustness and analytical capabilities of this instrument and to develop a prototype instrument that could be made available commercially for analysing the properties of bioaerosol

Aims and Methods
The specific aims of this project will be to: (1) Complete the development of a laboratory based research instrument that can allow an exploration of the mechanistic influences of air quality on disease transmission in aerosol; (2) Explore the specific parameters (chemical, physical and biological) that govern the longevity and infectivity of aerosolised bacteria and viruses, including the influences of particle and gas phase composition, ozone concentration, temperature, relative humidity (RH) and light intensity/wavelength on the viability and infectivity; (3) Develop a prototype instrument that would provide a new commercial analytical capability that is not currently available.

Candidate
The project would suit a student with a first degree in chemistry or biological sciences and a desire to develop a range of new skills at a boundary between traditional disciplines. Although this project primarily focuses on aspects of analytical chemistry, microbiology and atmospheric science, there is the potential to gain a broad range of skills in aerosol science through interactions with the broader research effort underway in the Bristol Aerosol Research Centre.

Case Award
The student will spend a minimum of 3 months at the CASE Partner, Biral, over the duration of the project. The CASE supervisor, Dr. Paul Smith, and his team have a broad range of skills in analytical science, sensors and instrument development. Biral will provide co-supervision of the student, and: (1) provide technical capability/experience in the development of the instrument; (2) resources for the construction of the prototype instrument; (3) secondment opportunities for the student to work in their development lab in Portishead.

Training
The postgraduate student will receive training for their research in the Bristol Aerosol Research Centre (BARC), School of Chemistry. BARC is a unique facility for aerosol research with recently refurbished laboratory and office space, operating 12 single particle aerosol instruments, and hosting 8 post-doctoral researchers and 7 PhD students. In the last five years, researchers at BARC have published >60 publications. The student will also have the opportunity to collaborate with researchers at the University of Leicester and DSTL. Research, primarily funded by the EPSRC and NERC, is focused on developing novel single particle techniques to study micro-physical aerosol properties and processes, and is relevant to atmospheric science, drug delivery to the lungs, spray drying and health impacts of aerosols. Projects are also funded by government labs (e.g. DSTL-Porton Down) and industry (e.g. Steer Energy, Chiesi).

More information on the application process can be found here: http://nercgw4plus.ac.uk/research-themes/prospective-students/