Biological aerosol trigger (BAT)

A method for detecting biological aerosols comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an aerosol triggering device, said device comprising a conduit forming a passage for an air flow, said conduit including an aerosol intake port comprising a weather cap and an aerosol exit port, wherein said air flow passes into said conduit through said weather cap and exits said conduit through said Aerosol exit port, an optical chamber having at least two detectors capable of detecting an increase in the presence of an aerosol within said air flow, said optical chamber being in gaseous and optical communication with said conduit, wherein air flow entering said weather cap enters said optical chamber prior to exiting through said aerosol exit port, a laser beam entrance window attached to said conduit and permitting entry of a laser beam into said conduit and said optical chamber, a laser beam exit window attached to said conduit in optical alignment with said laser beam entrance window, and, a laser beam system having a laser beam generation source directing a laser beam of a selected frequency into said conduit and said optical chamber, wherein biological aerosol contaminants within said air flow emit elastic and inelastic scattering;
• (b) opening said aerosol intake port, wherein said air flow enters the conduit and flows into said optical chamber;
• (c) energizing said laser beam system, wherein said laser beam generation source directs said laser beam into said optical chamber, causing an interaction between said laser beam and said air flow;
• and,
• (d) detecting the resulting interaction between said laser beam and said air flow, wherein the presence of biological contaminants is determined.