Comparative evaluation of four aerosol samplers for infectious influenza virus collection

Aerosols are a major route for respiratory virus transmission, yet collecting infectious viral aerosols remains technically challenging. This study systematically evaluated four representative air samplers, including the AGI-30, SKC BioSampler, Andersen impactor, and WA-400III cyclone sampler, for their ability to recover infectious influenza B virus aerosols. The AGI-30 and SKC BioSampler achieved the highest biological collection efficiencies of 46.2% and 44.8%, respectively, at 12.5 L·min−1 and a 20 mL collection volume. The Andersen impactor achieved a biological collection efficiency of 20.7% when operated with 2% agar combined with 10 mL DMEM. Both liquid-based samplers (AGI-30 and SKC BioSampler) exhibited nearly 100% physical efficiency for particles of 0.3–5 µm. The WA-400III successfully collected infectious viruses at influenza virus aerosol concentration as low as 8.1 × 103 CCID50·m−3. These results demonstrate that all four samplers can effectively capture infectious aerosols, though their suitability varies with particle size and viral concentration. The findings provide practical guidance for selecting and optimizing bioaerosol samplers under indoor or confined-space conditions, supporting improved accuracy in airborne virus monitoring.Copyright © 2026 American Association for Aerosol Research