A Method for Measuring the Density of Irregularly Shaped Aerosol Particles Such as Pollen

Prediction of the long distance dispersal of (biological) aerosol particles, such as pollen, in the atmosphere is of great importance in pollution control and allergy studies. The particle parameters affecting dispersal include size, shape and density. In this work a simple method has been tested and implemented for measuring the density of aerosols without prior knowledge of their size and shape. The method is based on measurement of the settling velocity of particles in two fluids with different density and viscosity at low Reynolds numbers (Stokes flow). Consequently, the settling velocity is proportional to the particle size and density. For two statistically similar samples of particles, based on pdf of equivalent projected area diameter, the pdf of the particle settling velocity was measured in two fluids with different density and viscosity (Dow Corning 200 fluid). For known fluid properties, the resulting particle density is then proportional to the ratio of the settling velocities in the two fluids. The method was used to determine the density of corn (Zea Mays) pollen. The pollen settling velocity was measured in a square settling chamber (5x5x45cm) using in-line digital holography that allows in-focus tracking of the pollen in a 3-D sample volume. Additional advantages of in-line digital holography are its simple setup and the possibility of recording holographic movies. The measured mean corn pollen density was 1119.3 kg/m3 with an absolute error of 45.2 kg/m3. Pdf's of size distributions (based on projected areas) of corn pollen were determined using optical microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). These observations were performed with pollen immersed in both Dow Corning 200 fluids as well as in a dry state. No change in size and shape were observed. However when immersed in water, the corn pollen grew and became nearly spherical. Thus, for a known pollen density and size distribution, Stokes' Law for a sphere could be used to predict the settling velocities in water. The results agreed well with predictions, validating the measured density. This research is funded by the National Science Foundation.