Nebulised Aerosol Electrostatic Charge Explored Using Bipolar Electrical Mobility Profiles

Electrostatic particle capture methods have been employed to obtain a live-step aerosol electrical-mobility profile for aerosol droplets with inherent charge of both positive and negative polarities. Aerosols were generated using jet and ultrasonic nebulisers. The two nebulisers produce bipolar electrical-mobility distributions that differ dramatically in magnitude, bipolarity and polarity skew, illustrating the diverse nature of aerosol properties nebulised from the same liquid by different techniques. Individual aerosol mobility levels differ sufficiently that the effect of charge driven deposition may account for the varying physiological response to aerosols generated from the different nebulisers.