Patent ID: 7591980

Claim:
An air sensor device configured to collect airborne particles and to evaluate collected airborne particles in order to determine if the collected airborne particles indicate the presence of a biological threat, comprising: a regenerable solid collection surface comprising an impaction plate for supporting a spot of immobilized airborne particles, the regenerable solid collection surface being specifically configured to remove particles from an air stream by impaction of the air stream against the regenerable solid collection surface; means for regenerating the regenerable solid collection surface by removing particles from the regenerable solid collection surface, such that once regenerated, the regenerable collection solid surface can collect additional particles from the air, such that particles collected before regenerating the regenerable solid collection surface are substantially no longer present to contaminate particles collected after regeneration; means for analyzing the spot of immobilized airborne particles while the particles remain disposed on the regenerable solid collection surface to determine if the spot of immobilized airborne particles represents a biological threat, said means for analyzing the spot of immobilized airborne particles comprising a fluorescence detector; and an excitation light source configured to emit excitatory radiation that is directed towards the particles collected upon the regenerable solid collection surface, the excitatory radiation having a wavelength that excites any biomolecules comprising the particles to produce a fluorescence radiation to which the fluorescence detector responds.