Automated Aerosol Delivery System

Features

The AeroDeliver^tm System consists of a collision nebulizer that consistently emits aerosols having specific size distribution profiles, two air flowmeters with valves for monitoring and regulating the inlet air flow rate and pressure applied to the nebulizer, and one air pressure gauge. The system also includes nose-poke-operated food and drug administration systems.

The data obtained from the aerosol delivery system is analyzed by using the CageCenter^tm software with two pre-programmed modes of aerosol delivery:

1. Timer: The user sets a schedule to control the duration of aerosol exposure.
2. Self-administered with three phases
   1. Food only
   2. Food and aerosol
   3. Aerosol only

The pressurized air is supplied from the air source of the laboratory facilities. The air pressure generating the aerosol through the nebulizer determines the flow, the droplet size distribution, and the concentration of the output aerosol. The outlet of the nebulizer is opened to a sealed exposure chamber, i.e., a plastic cylindrical tube of 19.7 cm inner diameter (ID) and 25.4 cm long with a platform that holds rodents.

The exposure chamber mimics a home-cage environment where the rodent can freely move during prolonged research manipulations. The aerosol flow rate and the air pressure are continuously regulated during the experiments to ensure controlled and stabilized drug delivery.

The software measures three parameters to assess the toxicity, teratogenicity, and pharmacological dynamics of the drug used. These parameters are Elapsed time, Aerosol events (open and close), and Food administration events.