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（由应用程序提供）：本仪器赠款寻求资金来购买高精度的机器人加权系统，以支持新的曝光工具和健康研究。获得该系统直接与我们的长期努力联系起来，以开发和使用与特殊事物（PM）的特征性个体和人群暴露相关的不确定性（PM）相关的不确定性，这已被确定为重要的研究领域，以改善与大小颗粒和不良健康效果之间的曝光之间建立联系（NRC，NRC，2004年）。具体而言，高精度的机器人加权设施是 根据基因，环境和健康计划开发的下一代个人颗粒监测器样品产生的加权过滤器所需的加权过滤器所需。这些监视器的设计为轻巧，并通过使用低流量泵延长了运行时间。测量技术实验室（MTL）制造的机器人加权系统是一个围绕能够对收集到过滤器的特定物质进行高精度重量确定的概念设计的集成系统。该系统包括一个紧密控制的环境室，一个惯性的质量加权桌，微生物和法拉第笼子以及一个机器人控制的自动采样器，该采样器将过滤器从特殊设计的不锈钢petri-Dishes转移到微生物。整个系统由PC上的软件控制，数据自动写入跟踪质量保证并生成报告的数据库。机器人加权系统将是一个重大升级，取代了手动加权系统并支持活跃用户组的需求，由于高精度和高吞吐量功能和较低的成本，我们希望随时间增长。该系统将是长期运行充电中心的一部分，该中心已集成到曼哈顿北部P30环境卫生中心的暴露评估设施核心中，该机构的研究人员有一个充满活力的研究人员，他们进行了与环境暴露有关的公共热量研究。哥伦比亚的机构支持将确保该系统处于最新状态，HEPA过滤实验室，并且在未来几年内维护得很好，从而使时间可以扩展用户组。基于当前具有MTL系统的多个组的经验，我们将能够在过滤器上加重特定问题，而D1€g的不确定性则打开了许多新的研究设计，包括使用新的微型个人监视器，这些个人监视器还监视着佩戴的合规性和估计呼吸率。这种能够获得如此高精度（和准确性）的高精度测定能力测定，这是某些应用所需的，例如新一代的低流动空气监视器所需的能力，这是对该仪器需求的主要理由。 在增加样本吞吐量（减少积压）并可能大大降低成本的同时，这对所有设施使用者来说是一个重大好处。