Fruit Fly Smoke Generation and Exposure Chamber Apparatus

The health risks associated with inhalation of smoke and dust are an emerging global concern, particularly as climate change increases the frequency and scale of wildfires. In Canada, wood smoke from forest fires has become a major source of air pollution, posing serious health risks including cancer. Despite the recognized carcinogenic properties of wood smoke, the precise mechanisms of its impact on cellular health remains poorly understood. Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies) is a promising model organism to investigate the effects of wood smoke exposure, given their genetic similarity to humans and ability to experience smoke through inhalation. A specialized smoke exposure chamber was developed to simulate real-world conditions, controlling smoke concentration and composition. This apparatus, designed to fit within a standard fume hood, offers continuous smoke exposure for many hours as tested and measures key smoke constituents autonomously. In a preliminary test the device achieved a maximum increase in CO2 concentration of 140 ppm per minute and stayed within the desired CO2 concentration range 67% of the time. The research enabled by this device will reveal the molecular and genetic mechanisms underlying smoke-induced health effects, ultimately contributing to the development of biomarkers and targeted therapies for mitigating the harmful impact of smoke exposure in humans.