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Information articles
Technical explainers that connect aerosol science, standards context, and practical testing decisions to ARE Labs study design.
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Route 01
Aerosol Science
Practical explainers for aerosol behavior, particle sizing, bioaerosol generation, and test scoping.
Aerosol Science BasicsAerosol science gives product, laboratory, and regulatory teams a common language for choosing a controlled aerosol testing path.Bioaerosol Generation & SamplingBioaerosol testing turns a biological target into a controlled airborne challenge, then collects samples suited to the intended endpoint.Spray & Plume DynamicsSpray and plume dynamics describe how a device turns formulation energy into a measurable cloud, spray pattern, droplet spectrum, and delivery event.Understanding Particle SizeParticle size is a measured diameter. A particle-size distribution shows how particle count, mass, or volume varies across size intervals. For aerosols, the diameter basis changes what those results mean.
Route 02
Inhalation
Reference science for orally inhaled and nasal drug products (OINDP): pulmonary drug delivery, aerodynamic particle sizing, and inhaler, nebulizer, and nasal-spray performance characterization.
Aerodynamic Particle Size DistributionAerodynamic particle size distribution shows how the mass of an inhaled aerosol is distributed across aerodynamic sizes, which helps determine where particles are likely to deposit in the airways.Pulmonary Drug DeliveryPulmonary drug delivery carries an active compound from an inhaler or nebulizer into the airways. Particle size, breathing pattern, and airway geometry determine how much of the dose reaches the lung.
Route 03
Regulatory Guidance
Regulatory and standards context for stability, validation, documentation, and method decisions.
AHAM AC-1 / AC-5 StandardsAHAM AC-1 and AHAM AC-5 answer different air-cleaner evidence questions. AC-1 supports particulate CADR comparisons, while AC-5 addresses bioaerosol reduction using a chamber method.ASHRAE 241 Infection Risk MitigationASHRAE 241 helps building teams frame infectious-aerosol risk mitigation, while product teams still need method-specific evidence for bioaerosol efficacy, safety, and claim support.FDA Inhalation Device GuidanceThe first step in FDA inhalation-device work is to identify the applicable product frame: drug product, combination product, stand-alone device, accessory, or reusable delivery pathway.GLP vs. GMP: What's the Difference?GLP and GMP are not interchangeable. GLP protects the reliability of nonclinical study data, while GMP controls how regulated products are manufactured, tested, released, and documented.ICH Q1A(R2) Stability GuidelinesICH Q1A(R2) is the core stability-testing reference for many new drug substance and drug product registration packages.ISO 17025 Accreditation ExplainedISO/IEC 17025 accreditation signals laboratory competence. An accreditation body has assessed the lab against defined requirements for valid testing or calibration work within a stated scope.Unsubstantiated Antimicrobial and Air-Purification ClaimsFor air-treatment devices, antimicrobial products, and clean-air consumer goods, a claim can create more regulatory exposure than the product itself. A product may be legal to sell; the claim may not be.What an EPA GLP Inspection Means for Study SponsorsAn on-site EPA FIFRA GLP inspection examines a laboratory's quality systems and selected study records. This article explains what that review can show and why sponsors should also review their own study documentation.
Route 04
Filtration
Filter ratings, gas-phase removal, room-air-cleaner claims, and performance terminology.
Filter Types & MechanismsFilter selection starts as a test-method decision, not a product-label decision. The evidence needed depends on whether the filter removes particles, gases, vapors, or a combined challenge, and whether the sample is media, a filter element, or a complete air-cleaning device.Gas-Phase / VOC FiltrationGas-phase and VOC filtration requires a different test strategy than particle filtration. The right approach depends on the target gas, media chemistry, device geometry, airflow, humidity, and whether the claim concerns removal, capacity, CADR, or by-product control.HEPA vs. ULPA FiltersHEPA and ULPA are not interchangeable labels. For cleanrooms, semiconductor wafer manufacturing, and high-efficiency air-treatment devices, the practical question is what particle-size range, airflow, fixture, pressure drop, and acceptance endpoint the test measures.MERV Ratings ExplainedMERV is useful shorthand for HVAC filter performance, but it is not the whole test result. A defensible filtration plan still has to name the standard, particle-size range, airflow, pressure drop, sample configuration, and whether the claim needs work below the MERV particle band.
Antimicrobial Testing MethodsAntimicrobial testing is not a single method. The right study depends on the product, sample path, organism, exposure conditions, and the claim the data need to support.Biofilm ScienceBiofilm questions arise when a medical device stays wet, holds a working solution, has long internal channels, or must be cleaned and reused. The question is not whether bacteria are in the fluid today, but whether wetted surfaces support attached growth that survives cleaning, disinfection, storage, or repeated use.Surface Disinfectant ClaimsSurface disinfectant testing starts with the exact claim the label or technical file needs to support. EPA-facing disinfectant, sanitizer, virucidal, residual, biofilm, and treated-article claims each follow a different evidence path.UV / UVGI DisinfectionScoping UV and UVGI disinfection testing starts with the treatment path. The right study depends on whether the device treats airborne bioaerosols, a single-pass duct stream, or an irradiated surface, and whether the evidence must support a regulated medical-device claim.
Route 06
What We Test
Explore the chemical species, biological organisms, and other materials available for testing at ARE Labs.
Biological Organisms We TestExplore bacteria, spore-formers, mold, yeast, and bacteriophages in ARE Labs testing scope. Find an organism below, then discuss how it fits your product, test conditions, and the question your study needs to answer.VOCs and Gases We TestARE Labs provides VOC and gas challenge testing and analytical quantification for air cleaners, sorbent media, emissions, and process studies. Start with the substances below, then match the concentration range and measurement method to your study.