Technology and equipment development in laser-induced fluorescence-based remote and field detection of biological aerosols

Abstract Nowadays, biohazard events caused by laboratory pathogen leaks and infectious disease transmission have become an increasingly important threat to human safety. The principal form of transmission of pathogenic microorganisms is via aerosols, which could spread over a wide area within a short time. The system of biological aerosol recognition mainly involves early warning, field detection, as well as sampling and laboratory testing. Early warning about biological aerosols is essential for establishing a timely response. Once the presence of a biological aerosol is suspected, field detection is immediately performed to confirm the occurrence of the aerosol. Then, the aerosol is sampled using air sampling devices for laboratory identification of the microbial type. This review specifically intends to introduce the technologies and equipment for biological aerosol early warning and field detection based on laser-induced fluorescence (LIF).