Measurement of Biological Aerosols in an Aerosol Chamber

A standard system for the aerosol exposure of mice with viable Francisella tularensis live vaccine strain (LVS) in an aerosol chamber was developed. The pneumatic nebulizer and the dynamic “nose only” aerosol chamber for exposure of 12 mice were used. Pressure of the orifice and flow rate through the atomizer, flow rate of the air, temperature, and humidity in the chamber were measured. Density, viscosity, consumption of the aerosolized suspension, and the number of cultivable bacteria in the suspension were measured. The correlation between the technical parameters and the number of the cultivable bacteria in the initial suspension, aerosol, and the murine lungs were determined.