TSI Incorporated is proud to announce the launch of the Model AE51 Miniature Black Carbon Monitor. The AE51 is a handheld instrument that detects and quantifies the presence of aerosol black carbon (BC) by Aethalometry, that is by measuring the attenuation of a light beam transmitted through aerosol particles that are continuously collected from the atmosphere on a filter. Weighing just 8.8 ounces (250 g) and with a footprint of only 4.6” x 2.6” x 1.5”, the AE51 is the smallest and lowest cost BC monitor in the world. Despite its small size, the AE51 boasts real-time, high-resolution, wide dynamic range and data logging performance that compares well even to much higher priced research-level instruments: 0.001 µg/m3 resolution, 0-1 mg BC/m3 range, variable time base from 1 sec to 5 min, and data storage space for up to a month of measurements.

It is ideal for use in a wide variety of application spaces including: epidemiology research; the study of climate change and visibility; workplace monitoring; and engine exhaust and combustion source monitoring. In each of these markets, the handheld AE51 is a unique instrument that, due to its low cost and miniaturization, serves an unmet need. It is particularly useful for ambient measurements and health effects studies where multiple units can be deployed for multi-point monitoring in both outdoor and indoor environments, such as along roadsides, in the workplace where carbon nanotubes are manufactured or used, or in homes where there is human exposure to combustion sources. In the environmental field it can be launched on a weather balloon to obtain BC concentrations as a function of altitude. It is also useful for on-site engine exhaust applications where real-time measurements and highly portable instruments are required.