Allergen detection

In the developed world, close to 25% of people are now subject to allergic disorders such as allergic rhinitis (hay fever), eczema, and asthma. Atmospheric pollution and other parameters affecting indoor and outdoor air quality are among the leading causes of allergic reactions. For allergic patients, exposure to allergens, which are typically inoffensive substances found in the environment, leads to chronic inflammation. This can result in long-term damages to the afflicted organs (lung, throat, heart) and the disruption of their functions. For this reason, it is important to develop robust workflows to detect the level of allergens in the environment. Airborne pollen is the main aeroallergen in most countries. Pollen is present in the air for the largest part of the year, with a concentration that reaches its maximum during spring. Measuring airborne allergens during pollen season can shed valuable insight on health impact and potential intervention methods.

Other allergens such as gluten can also have a major impact on human health. Wheat is the most important staple crop in temperate areas and can contain a varying amount of gluten proteins, which can cause hypersensitivity reactions, such as celiac disease. Preventing gluten contamination in food factories plays a critical role in the monitoring of gluten-free products.   At Bertin Technologies, we have designed the Coriolis air samplers to offer researchers a turnkey solution to collect environmental air samples, suitable to detect many allergens such as pollen. Below, discover some of our best protocols for airborne allergen detection with the Coriolis air samplers.

Air quality control: potential sources of allergens and bioaersols