A system for sampling air and collecting particles entrained in the air
comprising a receiving surface, a liquid input that directs liquid to the
receiving surface and produces a liquid surface, an air input that
directs the air so that the air with particles entrained in the air
impact the liquid surface, and an electrostatic contact connected to the
liquid that imparts an electric charge to the liquid. The particles
potentially including bioagents become captured in the liquid by the air
with particles entrained in the air impacting the liquid surface.
Collection efficiency is improved by the electrostatic contact
electrically charging the liquid. The effects of impaction and adhesion
due to electrically charging the liquid allows a unique combination in a
particle capture medium that has a low fluid consumption rate while
maintaining high efficiency.