High Precision Robotic Weighing System in Support of New Exposure Health Studies

支持新暴露健康研究的高精度机器人称重系统

• 批准号: 8447261
• 负责人: Steven N. Chillrud
• 金额: $ 24.98万
• 依托单位: COLUMBIA UNIV NEW YORK MORNINGSIDE
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-07-10 至 2015-07-09
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/8447261
• 关键词: Airborne Particulate Matter; Area; Computer software; Core Facility; Data; Databases; Environment; Environmental Exposure; Environmental Health; Exposure to; Funding; Generations; Genes; Grant; Health; Individual; Laboratories; Link; Manuals; Measurement; Monitor; Particle Size; Particulate; Particulate Matter; Population; Pump; Reporting; Research; Research Design; Research Personnel; Respiration; Robotics; Running; Sampling; Stainless Steel; Support System; System; Technology; Time; Uncertainty; Writing; air monitoring; base; cost; design; experience; improved; instrument; instrumentation; light weight; miniaturize; next generation; quality assurance; ranpirnase; time use; tool

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This instrumentation grant seeks funds to purchase a high precision robotic weighing system in support of new exposure tools and health studies. Obtaining this system is directly linked to our long term efforts to develop and use technologies that reduce the uncertainties associated with characterizing individual and population exposures to airborne particulate matter (PM), which has been identified as a critically-important area of research needed to improve the establishment of linkages between exposures to sized particles and adverse health effects (NRC, 2004). Specifically, a high precision robotic weighing facility is needed for weighing filters that are generated from the next generation of personal particulate monitor samplers that have been developed under the Genes, Environment and Health Initiative. These monitors have been designed to be light-weight and have extended run time by using low flow-rate pumps. The robotic weighing system made by Measurements Technology Laboratory (MTL) is an integrated system designed around the concept of being able to provide high precision gravimetric determinations of the particulate matter collected onto filters. The system comprises a tightly-controlled environmental chamber, an inertial mass weighing table, a microbalance and faraday cage, and a robotically controlled automatic sampler that transfers the filters from specially designed stainless steel petri-dishes to the microbalance. The whole system is controlled by software on a PC and the data are written automatically to a database that tracks quality assurance and generates reports. The robotic weighing system would be a major upgrade, replacing a manual weighing system and supporting the needs of an active user group, which we expect to grow with time due to the high precision and high throughput capabilities and lower costs. The system will be part of long running recharge center that is integrated into the Exposure Assessment Facility Core of the P30 Center of Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan that has a vibrant group of investigators carrying out public heath research related to environmental exposures. Institutional support from Columbia will insure that the system is in a state of the art, HEPA filtered laboratory and is well maintained for years to come, allowing time to expand the user group. Based on the experience of multiple groups that currently have the MTL system, we will be able to weigh particulate matter on filters with an uncertainty of d1 ¿g, which opens up many new study designs including the use of the new miniaturized personal monitors that also monitor wearing compliance and estimate respiration rates. This ability to obtain such high precision (and accuracy) of gravimetric determinations of airborne PM concentrations, which is needed for certain applications such as the new generation of low flow air monitors is a primary justification of the need for this instrument. The ability to do this while increasing sample throughput (decreasing backlogs) and potentially lowering costs significantly will be a major benefit to all facility users.

描述（由申请人提供）：该仪器拨款寻求资金购买高精度机器人称重系统，以支持新的暴露工具和健康研究，获得该系统与我们开发和使用减少不确定性的技术的长期努力直接相关。与描述个人和人群接触空气颗粒物 (PM) 的特征有关，这已被认为是一个至关重要的研究领域，需要改善颗粒物暴露与不良健康影响之间联系的建立（NRC， 2004）具体而言，高精度机器人称重设备是 称重过滤器是由基因、环境和健康倡议下开发的下一代个人颗粒物监测采样器生成的，这些监测器设计重量轻，并通过使用低流速延长了运行时间。测量技术实验室 (MTL) 制造的机器人称重系统是一个集成系统，其设计理念是能够对过滤器上收集的颗粒物进行高精度重量测定。惯性质量称重台、微量天平和法拉第笼以及机器人控制的自动进样器，将过滤器从专门设计的不锈钢培养皿转移到微量天平。整个系统由 PC 上的软件控制，数据自动写入到微量天平中。跟踪质量保证并生成报告的数据库将是一个重大升级，它将取代手动称重系统并支持活跃用户群的需求，由于高精度和高可靠性，我们预计该用户群将随着时间的推移而增长。该系统将成为长期运行的充电中心的一部分，该中心被集成到曼哈顿北部 P30 环境健康中心的暴露评估设施核心中，该中心拥有一群充满活力的研究人员，开展与环境相关的公共卫生研究。哥伦比亚的机构支持将确保该系统处于最先进的 HEPA 过滤实验室，并在未来几年内得到良好维护，从而根据目前拥有该系统的多个团体的经验，有时间扩大用户群。 MTL系统，我们将能够对过滤器上的颗粒物进行称重，不确定度为 d1 ¿ g，这开辟了许多新的研究设计，包括使用新的小型个人监测器，该监测器还可以监测佩戴依从性并估计呼吸率，这种能力能够获得空气中 PM 浓度的重力测定的高精度（和准确度）。对于某些应用，例如新一代低流量空气监测器，是需要该仪器的主要理由。 能够做到这一点，同时提高样品通量（减少积压）并可能显着降低成本，将是所有设施用户的主要好处。