Autofluorescence is gaining interest as a method to detect and identify aerosol biological agents because of its potential to minimize the cost of consumables associated with DNA-based detection systems. Instruments that rely on autofluorescence use an ultraviolet light source to excite biological samples, and then determine the size of particles by measuring elastics scattering. These instruments typically monitor several wavelengths, and identify the agent by comparing the spectral signature of the sample against the known signatures of particular pathogens.
