Olfactometer

This olfactometer is used in bioassay experiments testing for the effectivness of airborne chemicals to attract mobile insects. A test insect is placed into the center via a hatch in the bottom and is allowed to move about the arena. Air is drawn via vacuum from the bottom hatch assembly while additional purified air is pumped into the arena from the four lateral ports. Chemicals being tested for attractiveness are introduced into these incoming air-streams as synthetic standards or directly from live plants and insects contained in the Volatile Collection Cylinders described above. The oflactometer is composed entirely of glass, teflon and stainless steel to reduce contamination from non-inert surfaces and allows for thorough cleaning with solvent between bioassay experiments.