Single bioaerosol characterizations based on optical tweezers

Abstract

Bioaerosols, including bacteria, viruses, pollens, and fungal spores, play critical roles in global biosecurity, impacting human living environments and daily activities. The precise and in situ measurement of single bioaerosols represents a rigorous way to characterize their properties. Optical tweezers, which enable the stable trapping and precise control of single nanoparticles for in situ measurements and the study of their temporal evolution, have gained increasing attention in bioaerosol research. This Perspective systematically introduces the emerging field of single bioaerosol characterization based on optical tweezers. It gives a concise overview of the basic principle for trapping particles with different properties based on mechanical models of optical traps. It then reviews various applications of optical tweezers in the precise characterization of single bioaerosols, including their morphology, mass, chemical composition, and time evolution, through the spectral, spatial, or temporal analysis of optical scattering signals. This Perspective concludes by envisioning the future prospects for enhancing the practical application of bioaerosols. It suggests that future development directions should focus on enhancing trapping efficiency, increasing measurement throughput, and enhancing complex signal analysis capability. It also highlights their exciting potential in preventing disease transmission by identifying pathogens conveyed through bioaerosols.