Building flexible biological particle detection algorithms for emerging real-time instrumentation

Abstract: Primary Biological Aerosol Particles (PBAP) are understood to play key roles in the atmosphere as condensation nuclei (CCN), ice nuclei (IN), and in the formation of both volatile and non-volatile secondary organic aerosols (SOA) by gas/particle partitioning. Equally, their role in public health and national defense is frequently shown to be of paramount importance to society, with the ongoing Covid-19 virus being just one example. The development of emerging real-time autonomous detection techniques such as ultra violet light induced fluorescence (UV-LIF) represent significant breakthroughs in early warning detection systems, in addition to furthering our understanding of these fundamental atmospheric interactions and processes. Yet, despite these advances, substantial challenges still remain. As of yet, the algorithms required to correctly compute and classify such vast amounts of data over multiple instruments does not exist, and, at the time of this proposal, is mostly limited to individual exploratory studies testing a handful of methods without rigorous review or direct comparison with other instruments. Thus, there is a current lack of standardised, robust algorithms which can differentiate between large numbers of variables (fungi,
viruses, bacteria, pollen etc) and weakly fluorescent non-biological particles which continues to limit the potential of UV-LIF instruments. This proposal shall explore current detection methods used within the industry whilst also highlighting the limitations of each and how this research proposes to address them. This research shall evaluate and build upon existing algorithms in order to improve classification capabilities of UV-LIF instrumentation and develop strategies for mapping information from high resolution to low resolution instruments to build more robust detection networks. Implications of this research include detection systems which are more reliable and applicable over broader sets of variables and over a variety of UV-LIF instruments.

Aerosol science has a significant impact on a broad range of disciplines, extending from inhaled drug delivery, to combustion science and its health impacts, aerosol assisted routes to materials, climate change, and the delivery of agricultural and consumer products. Estimates of the global aerosol market size suggest it will reach $84 billion/year by 2024 with products in the personal care, household, automotive, food, paints and medical sectors. Air pollution leads to an estimated 30-40,000 premature deaths each year in the UK, and aerosols transmit human and animal infections. More than 12 million people in the UK live with lung disease such as asthma, and the NHS spends ~£5 billion/year on respiratory therapies. Many of the technological, societal and health challenges central to these areas rely on core skills and knowledge of aerosol science. Despite this, an Industrial Workshop and online survey (held in preparation for this bid) highlighted the current doctoral skills gap in aerosol science in the UK. Participating industries reported that only 15% of their employees working with aerosol science at doctoral-level having received any formal training. A CDT in aerosol science, CAS, will fill this skills gap, impacting on all areas of science where core training in aerosol science is crucial.

Impact on the UK aerosol community: Aerosol scientists work across governmental policy, industrial research and innovation, and in academia. Despite the considerable overlap in training needs for researchers working in these diverse sectors, current doctoral training in aerosol science is fragmentary and ad hoc (e.g. the annual Fundamentals of Aerosol Science course delivered by the Aerosol Society). In addition, training occurs within the context of individual disciplines, reinforcing artificial subject boundaries. CAS will bring coherence to training in the core physical and engineering science of aerosols, catalysing new synergies in research, and providing a focal point for training a multidisciplinary community of researchers. Working with the Aerosol Society, we will establish a legacy by providing training resources for future researchers through an online training portal.

Impact on industry and public-sector partners: 45 organisations have indicated they will act as CAS partners with interests in respiratory therapies, public health, materials manufacturing, consumer and agricultural products, instrumentation, emissions and environment. Establishing CAS will deliver researchers with the necessary skills to ensure the UK establishes and sustains a scientific and technical lead in their sectors. Further, it will provide an ideal mechanism for delivering Continuing Professional Development for the existing workforce practitioners. The activity of CAS is aligned to the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (e.g. through developing new healthcare technologies and new materials) and the EPSRC Prosperity Outcomes of a productive, healthy (e.g. novel treatments for respiratory disease) and resilient (e.g. adaptations to climate change, air quality) nation, with both the skilled researchers and their science naturally translating to long-lasting impact. Additionally, rigorous training in responsible innovation and ethical standards will lead to aerosol researchers able to contribute to developing: regulatory standards for medicines; policy on air quality and climate geoengineering; and regulations on manufactured nano-materials.

Public engagement: CAS will provide a focal point for engaging the public on topics in aerosol science that affect our daily lives (consumer products, materials) through to our health (inhalation therapeutics, disease transmission and impacts of pollution) and the future of our planet (geoengineering). Supported by a rigorous doctoral level training in aerosol science, this next generation of researchers will be ideally positioned to lead debates on all of these societal and technological challenges.