An environmental exposure chamber is a technology in the form of a custom-designed enclosure, where patients or study participants are housed in a controlled environment using a particle propellant and various measures to control airborne particles, both throughout the interior of the chamber (Solair and Burkhard) and in the environment close to the patient (Apex).

Particle monitoring is also achieved through specific collection and staining, which is evaluated automatically under an electron microscope. An enzyme immunoassay is performed on the contents of the particle collectors or counters, allowing the allergen or allergens of interest to be evaluated.

The objective is exposure to known levels of allergens (pollen: grasses, olive, oak, Arizona cedar) to monitor the signs and symptoms developed by patients, reproducing real-life conditions in ideal and controlled conditions, but in an environment with controlled pressure, temperature, humidity, and negative pressure guaranteed by the modulation of air renewal in the chamber.

There are very few of these chambers in the world, and this is the only environmental exposure chamber in Southern Europe, with the added advantage of being located within a hospital and having ISO 8 certification.

• SOLAIR 320 airborne particle counter
• Topas - SAG 410 DUST GENERATOR
• BURKARD SPORE TRAP
• Spirometer
• Vero NIox meter for measuring exhaled nitric oxide
• Tablet for monitoring patient symptoms, with specific questionnaires
• Particle control computer and PowerBI monitor, specifically designed to monitor symptoms and the evolution of measurement variables in research.

Publications: 

• Garcia-Gutierrez I, Dueñas-Requena I, Sanchez-Garcia V, Solorzano-Zepeda C, Santos-Benito S, de la Hoz-Caballer B, Antolin-Amerigo D. Technical Description of eHealth Tools in an Environmental Exposure Chamber: Implementation Study. JMIR Form Res. 2025; 9:e71276. doi: 10.2196/71276. PMID: 40857710;
• García-Gutiérrez I, Solórzano-Zepeda C, Sánchez-García V, Ramírez-Mateo E, Antolín-Amérigo D, Zheng Y, Rioja Carrera A, León Hernando I, Hernando Pérez ME, De la Hoz Caballer B. Validation of an Environmental Exposure Chamber for Assessment of Allergy to Grass Pollen. J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol. 2025: 0. doi: 10.18176/jiaci.1036. PMID: 39946169.

Studies conducted in the exposure chamber:

• ISIII - PI25/00453. Relevance of the allergenicity of holm oak pollen in Spanish areas with high exposure to it. Molecular sensitization profiles and clinical implications. €121,250. PI: Javier Domínguez Ortega & Co-PI: Mª Rosa Rodríguez Pérez. IDIPAZ. CO: Darío Antolín Amérigo, Cristiana Solórzano Zepeda. IRYCIS.
• SEAIC:
  • Biomarker kinetics and metabolomics in patients with grass pollen respiratory allergy in an environmental exposure chamber.
  • Technical and clinical validation of an innovative environmental exposure chamber.
  • 24A_17 Clinical relevance of oak pollen (Quercus) sensitization in the Madrid area evaluated using an in-hospital environmental exposure chamber.
  • 24A_02 Multimodal biomarkers based on omics to stratify the severity of respiratory allergy to pollen

Other relevant activities or awards:

• Award for the best aerobiology communication at the EAACI202 congress
• Training activity: 3 TFG Biomedical Engineering; 1 TFM Biomedical Engineering