Air Allergen Detection Using Fluorescence and Glucose Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for detecting allergenic particles in air suffer from inaccuracies due to overloading, fragmentation, and inability to distinguish morphologically similar particles, leading to false positives and underestimation, and are time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for determining allergenic particles in air by measuring glucose concentration and fluorescent emission from decomposed particles, using an optical particle counter, solvent dissolution, and specific fluorophore tracers to identify and quantify allergenic and fungal particles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sampling techniques are used to collect particles on adhesive surfaces or culture media, then particle concentration and identification data can be obtained, but particle fragmentation occurs due to high-impact forces leading to underestimation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical sampling methods (adhesive surfaces, centrifugal separation) with a non-mechanical optical detection system. The system uses light scattering and fluorescence detection to identify and count particles in air without physical contact, eliminating mechanical stress that causes particle fragmentation and maintaining both identification accuracy and count reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces fluorophore-labeled antibodies as intermediaries that specifically bind to target particles (fungi, bacteria, pollen) in the air sample. These labeled antibodies serve as mediators between the detection system and target particles, enabling specific identification through fluorescence emission without requiring mechanical separation or adhesive capture that could fragment particles.
2Measurement precision
If microscopic analysis is used to identify and count particles, then morphological identification can be achieved, but morphologically similar particles cannot be distinguished leading to false positives
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses fluorophores that emit light at specific wavelengths when excited, creating distinct optical signatures for different particle types. This allows differentiation of morphologically similar particles based on their fluorescent emission characteristics rather than relying solely on visual morphology, eliminating false positives from misidentification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs fluorophore-labeled antibodies as specific intermediaries that bind to unique antigens on different particle types. This provides specific molecular-level identification beyond morphological similarity, allowing reliable differentiation of particles that look alike under microscopy but have different biological identities.
3Reliability
If culture-based analysis is used to detect viable organisms, then living particles can be identified, but non-viable allergenic particles cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses antibodies as intermediaries that can bind to both viable and non-viable particles, as antibodies recognize structural antigens that persist even after particle death. This allows detection of all particles including non-viable ones that would be missed by culture methods, while maintaining the ability to identify specific allergen types through antibody specificity.
4Measurement precision
If PCR amplification is used to detect specific DNA sequences, then microbial load can be quantified, but environmental inhibitors interfere with amplification leading to false results
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex biochemical PCR amplification process with a direct immunological detection system using fluorophore-labeled antibodies. This substitution eliminates the vulnerability to environmental inhibitors that plague PCR, while maintaining the ability to specifically identify and quantify target particles through antibody-antigen binding and fluorescence detection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate and continuous monitoring of allergenic particle concentrations, allowing for the prediction of health hazards and enabling preventive measures.
Implementation Method 1
counting the collected particles using an optical particle counter
Implementation Method 2
dissolving the collected particles in a solvent to obtain dissolved particles
Implementation Method 3
measuring a fluorescent emission from the decomposed particles by exposing the decomposed particles to one or more specific fluorophore tracers and to excitation light suitable for the selected fluorophore
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a method and system for determining allergenic particles in an air of a building. The method includes collecting a volume of air, counting particles in the air, filtering the air, measuring an amount of the collected air, calculating a particle concentration in the collected volume of air based on particle quantity and the amount of the collected air, dissolving the collected particles in a solvent to obtain dissolved particles, separating a first volume and a second volume from the dissolved particles for decomposing the dissolved particles, measuring a glucose concentration in the first volume, facilitate coupling of the decomposed particles in the second volume to fluorophore tracers and measuring fluorescent emission from the decomposed particles by exposing the decomposed particles to fluorophore tracers, and determining allergenic particles in the collected air based on the glucose concentration, the fluorescent emission, and reference data.