Laboratory animal exposure device for particulate atmospheric pollutants

Abstract

The invention provides a laboratory animal exposure device for particulate atmospheric pollutants, and particularly belongs to the technical field. Through the structural arrangement of the mixing box, the three-way valve connected with the mixing box and the air pump, the structure allows the system to be flexibly switched between an internal circulation mode and an external air supplementing mode; when long-term exposure of the animal living environment needs to be guaranteed, the air supply mode is switched to, and unification of experimental accuracy and animal ethics is achieved. The device comprises a pollutant generation and resuspension box, a mixing box and an animal exposure box which are sequentially arranged in the airflow direction; the mixing box is connected with an air pump and a three-way valve through pipelines, and three connectors of the three-way valve are connected with external air, the pollutant generation and resuspension box and the mixing box connected through the air pump respectively. The device can be switched between an internal circulation mode and an external air supplement mode from the pollutant generation and resuspension box to the mixing box and then to the pollutant generation and resuspension box.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a kind of particulate atmospheric pollutant laboratory animal exposure device, specifically belongs to the atmospheric particulate matter animal exposure experimental technical field. BACKGROUND

[0002] The influence of atmospheric particulate matter pollution on public health is one of the core issues in the field of environmental and health research; Through laboratory animal exposure experiment, accurately simulating the exposure scene in real environment, is a key means to clarify the toxic mechanism of pollutants and assess health risks; Therefore, developing an atmospheric particulate matter animal exposure experimental device that can accurately control the exposure conditions, simulate the real environment and be stable and reliable has important scientific research value and application prospect; At present, common laboratory animal exposure devices are mainly divided into whole-body exposure chambers and tracheal injection devices; However, the traditional device has significant defects in realizing long-term, stable, controllable and animal ethics-compliant exposure experiments; The airflow pattern of the traditional device is single, usually "straight-through" (air and pollutants pass through once) or simple airtight, it is difficult to achieve uniform distribution of particulate matter in the experimental chamber, and there is a lack of an airflow input mode that allows quantitative and uniform distribution of particulate matter in the experimental chamber during the experiment; The device relies solely on air intake power for preliminary mixing, which cannot ensure that the pollutant aerosol entering the animal activity area reaches a highly uniform state; The device does not integrate multiple independently controllable functional modules; The existing exposure device has obvious limitations and contradictions in function; The present application is proposed to systematically solve these problems and provide key technical support for advanced environmental health research. SUMMARY

[0003] The purpose of the present application is to provide a particulate atmospheric pollutant laboratory animal exposure device to provide an advanced experimental system with precise concentration, stable environment, high efficiency and reliable data for atmospheric pollutant health effect research.

[0004] To solve the above technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present application is as follows: the present application includes a pollutant generation and resuspension tank, a mixing tank and an animal exposure tank arranged in sequence along the airflow direction; The pollutant generation and resuspension tank is provided with an air inlet for connecting a particle generator and a flowmeter; the inside bottom of the tank body of the pollutant generation and resuspension tank is provided with a particle resuspension device composed of an impeller driven by a motor; and the tank body of the pollutant generation and resuspension tank is provided with a first detection port; The mixing tank and the pollutant generation and resuspension tank are connected by a first shared wall surface, the first shared wall surface is provided with a ventilation hole, and a switchable partition is arranged in the first shared wall surface to control the airflow on-off between the mixing tank and the pollutant generation and resuspension tank; The mixing box is provided with a disturbance device composed of a fan driven by a motor at the top of the mixing box, and a second detection port is arranged on the box body of the mixing box; the mixing box is connected with an air pump and a three-way valve through a pipeline, and the three interfaces of the three-way valve are respectively connected with external air, the pollutant generation and resuspension box, and the mixing box connected through the air pump, so that the device can be switched between the internal circulation mode of the pollutant generation and resuspension box, the mixing box and the pollutant generation and resuspension box and the external air supplement mode; The mixing box and the animal exposure box are connected through a second shared wall surface, at least one openable and closable sliding plate valve is arranged on the second shared wall surface to control the air flow on-off between the mixing box and the animal exposure box; the animal exposure box is internally provided with an exposure area for placing experimental animals; and the animal exposure box is connected with an elastic air storage device or / and an exhaust gas treatment device for stabilizing the air pressure in the box; A third detection port is arranged on the box body of the animal exposure box for monitoring the exposure environment.

[0005] Through the particle resuspension device of the pollutant generation and resuspension box, the disturbance device of the mixing box, the connection mode of the pollutant generation and resuspension box, and the dual-mode air flow control realized through the adjustable three-way valve and the air pump, the complete functions of pollutant generation, uniform mixing, concentration control, multi-channel exposure and environmental stability are integrated through these modular designs, forming a comprehensive experimental system capable of solving the problems of "concentration stability" and "animal survival".

[0006] The openable and closable partition plate between the pollutant generation and resuspension box and the mixing box is a manual sliding plate gate valve; Through the sliding plate gate valve, the device structure is simple and reliable, and the complexity and manufacturing cost of the device are reduced.

[0007] The first detection port is connected with an online concentration monitor for monitoring the initial particulate matter concentration in the pollutant generation and resuspension box; the second detection port is connected with a multi-component pollutant online monitoring device for monitoring the gas concentration after uniform mixing in the mixing box; and the third detection port is connected with an environmental monitoring sensor for real-time monitoring of the pollutant concentration or environmental parameters in the animal exposure box; Through the connection of the online concentration monitor and the multi-component pollutant online monitoring device, process visualization and data are realized, the initial concentration in the pollutant generation and resuspension box is monitored, and the concentration after mixing in the mixing box is monitored, so that the experimental personnel can master the dynamic changes of the pollutant in the whole system in real time, which provides direct data support for accurate control of the exposure dose and verification of the mixing effect, greatly enhancing the reliability and traceability of the experiment.

[0008] The box wall of the pollutant generation and resuspension box, the mixing box and the animal exposure box is made of transparent acrylic material, the box frame of the pollutant generation and resuspension box, the mixing box and the animal exposure box is made of metal, and a reinforcing structure is arranged at the bearing part of the pollutant generation and resuspension box, the mixing box and the animal exposure box. The transparent acrylic material provides great convenience for directly observing the state of experimental animals and the internal operation of the equipment, and the metal frame and the reinforcing structure ensure the structural strength and durability of the box when bearing the internal equipment.

[0009] The elastic gas storage device is a buffer gas bag made of flexible material and communicated with the animal exposure box. The buffer gas bag provides a simple, effective and low-cost dynamic pressure buffering scheme, when the air flow fluctuates or sampling is performed, the gas bag absorbs or releases gas through its expansion and contraction, automatically stabilizes the pressure change in the animal exposure box, provides a physically more stable microenvironment for experimental animals, and reduces the stress reaction of animals caused by pressure fluctuation.

[0010] The beneficial effects of the present application are: 1. Through the structural arrangement of the mixing box, the three-way valve connected thereto and the air pump, the structure allows the system to be flexibly switched between the "internal circulation mode" (close the external air interface) and the "external air supplement mode" (open the external air interface); the pollutant generation and resuspension box performs the first uniform mixing of the resuspension of particulate matter, the gas is mixed into the mixing box to form the required particulate matter concentration for animal exposure, and the animal exposure experiment is performed after the particulate matter concentration in the mixing box is uniform and stable, to realize precise and quantitative particulate matter exposure experiment. When a short-term high-concentration exposure with extremely high concentration stability is required, a closed loop is used; when long-term exposure needs to ensure the survival environment of animals, the air supplement mode is switched to; thus, the limitations of traditional devices are broken from the root cause, and the unity of experimental accuracy and animal ethics is realized.

[0011] 2. Through the structural arrangement of the "impeller resuspension device" of the pollutant generation and resuspension box and the "top disturbance fan" of the mixing box, the pollutant is first forced to rise by the impeller at the bottom of the pollutant generation and resuspension box, and is preliminarily mixed; then enters the mixing box, and is subjected to secondary deep mixing by the top fan; the progressive mixing structure ensures that the concentration of the pollutant in the gas flow entering the animal exposure box is highly uniform, to realize precise and quantitative particulate matter exposure experiment, fundamentally eliminate experimental errors caused by uneven concentration, make the actual exposure dose received by animals accurate and controllable, and greatly improve the reliability and repeatability of data.

[0012] 3. The overall design of the animal exposure box and the structure of the manual sliding valve simplify the exposure area and make it practical. Manual operation reduces noise and vibration interference. At the same time, the third detection port enables real-time monitoring of the exposure environment, which improves the stability and operability of the experiment and is suitable for a variety of experimental scenarios. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Fig. 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall cross-sectional structure of the present invention; Fig. 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the overall appearance of the present invention.

[0014] 1. Pollutant generation and resuspension chamber; 2. Mixing chamber; 3. Animal exposure chamber; 4. Air inlet; 5. Particle resuspension device; 6. First detection port; 7. First common wall surface; 8. Vent hole; 9. Baffle; 10. Disturbance device; 11. Second detection port; 12. Air pump; 13. Three-way valve; 14. Second common wall surface; 15. Slide valve; 16. Third detection port. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The following will be combined with the appendix Figs. 1-2 The technical solutions in the embodiments are described clearly and completely.

[0016] Specific implementation method one: as follows Figs. 1-2 As shown, the device consists of three main chambers: a contaminant generation and resuspension chamber 1, a mixing chamber 2, and an animal exposure chamber 3. The device uses an air pump 12 and a three-way valve 13 to switch between internal circulation and external air supply modes, ensuring stable concentrations and animal welfare. The pollutant generation and resuspension chamber 1 is equipped with an air inlet 4 for connecting a particle generator and a flow meter to generate the target pollutant; the bottom of the interior of the pollutant generation and resuspension chamber 1 is equipped with a particle resuspension device 5 consisting of an impeller driven by a motor, for uniformly suspending the particles; the pollutant generation and resuspension chamber 1 is also equipped with a first detection port 6, which is connected to an online concentration monitor for monitoring the initial concentration. The mixing chamber 2 is connected to the pollutant generation and resuspension chamber 1 via a first common wall 7. The wall of the mixing chamber 2 has ventilation holes 8 and is equipped with a switchable partition 9 to control the airflow. The top of the mixing chamber 2 is equipped with a disturbance device 10 consisting of a motor-driven fan to promote deep mixing of pollutants. The body of the mixing chamber 2 is equipped with a second detection port 11, which is connected to a multi-component pollutant online monitoring device. The mixing chamber 2 is also connected to an air pump 12 and a three-way valve 13 via pipes to realize the switching of airflow modes. Animal exposure box 3 is connected to mixing box 2 via second common wall 14. Animal exposure box 3 has an openable and closable sliding valve 15 on its wall for manually controlling the airflow. The interior of animal exposure box 3 is an exposure area for directly placing two cages of experimental mice. Animal exposure box 3 has a third detection port 16 on its body to connect to an environmental monitoring sensor for real-time monitoring of the exposure environment. Animal exposure box 3 is also connected to an elastic gas storage device (such as a buffer airbag) to stabilize the air pressure. The device's enclosure walls are made of transparent acrylic, the frame is made of metal, and the load-bearing parts have reinforced structures to facilitate observation and ensure durability. This structural design supports the stable operation of the device. Workflow: First, close the slide valve 15 between the mixing box 2 and the animal exposure box 3, and switch the three-way valve 13 to the "external air input" mode. Start the air pump 12 to introduce clean air into the device to blow away residual pollutants. Then, start the particle generator through the air inlet 4 of the pollutant generation and resuspension box 1 to generate the target pollutant and monitor it through the flow meter. At the same time, start the particle resuspension device 5, which is composed of an impeller driven by a motor at the bottom of the pollutant generation and resuspension box 1, so that the particles are evenly suspended in the pollutant generation and resuspension box 1. Keep the three-way valve 13 in the "external air input" mode, allowing the pollutant-containing airflow to flow sequentially through the pollutant generation and resuspension chamber 1 and the mixing chamber 2, and then open the switchable partition 9 between the pollutant generation and resuspension chamber 1 and the mixing chamber 2; start the disturbance device 10, which is equipped with a motor-driven fan on the top of the mixing chamber 2, to promote thorough mixing of pollutants, and monitor the concentration in real time through the online monitors of the pollutant generation and resuspension chamber 1 and the mixing chamber 2; when the outlet concentration of the mixing chamber 2 reaches the experimental set value and stabilizes, the animal exposure stage begins; There are two modes for the animal exposure phase: Mode 1 (internal circulation mode of contaminant generation and resuspension chamber 1 → mixing chamber 2 → contaminant generation and resuspension chamber 1, used for short-term high-concentration stable exposure): the three-way valve 13 is switched to internal circulation mode; the airflow circulates in a closed loop within the contaminant generation and resuspension chamber 1 and the mixing chamber 2, and the airflow is driven by the air pump 12 to maintain the extreme stability of the contaminant concentration; this mode is suitable for short-term exposure experiments that require precise concentration control. Mode 2 (External air input for long-term exposure): Switch the three-way valve 13 to the "external air input" mode; this mode can supplement oxygen and remove metabolic products during long-term operation to ensure animal safety, while maintaining the required pollutant concentration by adjusting the mixing ratio; Once the concentration in mixing chamber 2 has stabilized, manually open the slide valve 15 of animal exposure chamber 3 to allow the polluted airflow to enter the animal exposure area, and the experiment will officially begin. Place two cages of experimental mice directly inside slide valve 15 and monitor the exposure environment through the third detection port 16. The elastic gas storage bag connected to animal exposure chamber 3 will automatically buffer the small air pressure fluctuations caused by opening / closing the gas valve or sampling. Throughout the exposure process, the pollutant generation and pollutant concentration data of the resuspension chamber 1, mixing chamber 2 and animal exposure chamber 3 are continuously recorded through the online monitoring system. After the exposure reaches the predetermined time, the slide valve 15 is closed to stop the exposure. If it is necessary to continue the next round of experiments, the steps can be repeated; if it is necessary to end the experiment, the three-way valve 13 is switched to the "external air input" mode to flush the entire system with clean air, and finally all equipment is turned off.

[0017] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make some modifications or alterations to the above-disclosed technical content to create equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Any simple modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made to the above embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention, based on the technical essence of the present invention and within the spirit and principles of the present invention, shall still fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A laboratory animal exposure device for particulate air pollutants, characterized in that, It includes a pollutant generation and resuspension chamber (1), a mixing chamber (2), and an animal exposure chamber (3) arranged sequentially along the airflow direction; The pollutant generation and resuspension box (1) is provided with an air inlet (4) for connecting the particle generator and the flow meter. The bottom of the inside of the pollutant generation and resuspension box (1) is provided with a particle resuspension device (5) consisting of an impeller driven by a motor. The first detection port (6) is provided on the inside of the pollutant generation and resuspension box (1). The mixing chamber (2) and the pollutant generation and resuspension chamber (1) are connected by a first common wall (7). The first common wall (7) has a ventilation hole (8) and a switchable partition (9) is provided in the first common wall (7) to control the air flow between the mixing chamber (2) and the pollutant generation and resuspension chamber (1). The mixing chamber (2) is equipped with a disturbance device (10) consisting of a fan driven by a motor on the top, and a second detection port (11) is provided on the body of the mixing chamber (2); the mixing chamber (2) is connected to an air pump (12) and a three-way valve (13) through a pipe. The three ports of the three-way valve (13) are respectively connected to external air, the pollutant generation and resuspension chamber (1), and the mixing chamber (2) connected through the air pump, so that the device can switch between the internal circulation mode and the external air replenishment mode of the pollutant generation and resuspension chamber (1), the mixing chamber (2), and then the pollutant generation and resuspension chamber (1); The mixing chamber (2) and the animal exposure chamber (3) are connected by a second common wall (14), and at least one openable and closable sliding plate valve (15) is provided on the second common wall (14) to control the airflow between the mixing chamber (2) and the animal exposure chamber (3); the front side wall of the animal exposure chamber (3) is provided with an openable and closable door panel, so that the inside of the animal exposure chamber (3) is an exposure area for placing experimental animals; and the animal exposure chamber (3) is connected to an elastic gas storage device and / or a tail gas treatment device for stabilizing the gas pressure inside the chamber. The animal exposure box (3) is equipped with a third detection port (16) for monitoring the exposure environment.

2. The laboratory animal exposure device for particulate air pollutants according to claim 1, characterized in that, The switchable partition (9) between the pollutant generation and the resuspension tank (1) and the mixing tank (2) is a manually operated sliding gate valve.

3. The laboratory animal exposure device for particulate air pollutants according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first detection port (6) is connected to an online concentration monitor for monitoring the initial particulate matter concentration in the pollutant generation and resuspension chamber (1); the second detection port (11) is connected to a multi-component pollutant online monitoring device for monitoring the gas concentration after uniform mixing in the mixing chamber (2); and the third detection port (16) is connected to an environmental monitoring sensor for real-time monitoring of pollutant concentration or environmental parameters in the animal exposure chamber (3).

4. The laboratory animal exposure device for particulate air pollutants according to claim 1, characterized in that, The walls of the pollutant generation and resuspension chamber (1), mixing chamber (2), and animal exposure chamber (3) are made of transparent acrylic material. The frames of the pollutant generation and resuspension chamber (1), mixing chamber (2), and animal exposure chamber (3) are made of metal, and the load-bearing parts of the pollutant generation and resuspension chamber (1), mixing chamber (2), and animal exposure chamber (3) are reinforced.

5. The laboratory animal exposure device for particulate air pollutants according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible gas storage device is a cushioned airbag made of flexible material that is connected to the animal exposure box (3).

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