Fixation and microscopic sizing of aqueous sodium chloride aerosols

A new technique to fix tobacco smoke aerosols by methyl-2-cyanoacrylate vapor is applied to the study of the size distribution of sodium chloride droplets generated from a commercial inhalation nebulizer. The count mode diameter of the fixed droplets agrees well with the actual droplets calculated from known dried particles. The method allows direct visualization and measurement of droplets by light or electron microscopy, but it is limited to particles smaller than 2 μm in diameter. Further work is required to improve the fixation chamber design and sampling technique to ensure complete fixation and collection of droplets greater than 2 μm in diameter before the method can be used to characterize the polydisperse aerosol droplets from nebulizers. © 1979