Aerosol Magee Scientific

What Aerosol Magee Scientific does

Aerosol Magee Scientific is a privately held designer and manufacturer of scientific instruments for the measurement and characterization of carbonaceous aerosols, founded in 1977 and operated through its Slovenian parent Aerosol d.o.o. with a wholly-owned US sales subsidiary, Aerosol USA Corp., in Portland, Oregon. The company originated the Aethalometer — a multiwavelength optical instrument for real-time black carbon measurement — and has since extended its portfolio to include the AE33, AE36, AE36s, and AE43 Aethalometers, the TCA08 and TCA09 Total Carbon Analyzers, the DRI 2015 Series 2 multiwavelength OC/EC laboratory analyzer, the SootScan OT21 optical transmissometer, and the Carbonaceous Aerosol Speciation System (CASS), which integrates an Aethalometer with the TCA09 to deliver time-aligned BC, BrC, TC, EC, POC, and SOC data streams in compliance with CEN/TR 18076 and EN 16909. Instruments are cited in over 10,000 scientific publications and are deployed in air quality monitoring networks on every continent, including the US IMPROVE network and China's National Aerosol Particle Chemical Speciation Network.

The company serves environmental monitoring agencies, academic and research institutions, climate science organizations, industrial operators, public health bodies, smart city developers, NGOs, and consulting/engineering firms. It sells primarily through direct enterprise sales augmented by an international distributor network, with revenue generated from initial hardware sales (quote-based pricing, not publicly disclosed) and a recurring aftermarket stream of technical support, calibration services, software updates, and spare parts. GTM motion is enterprise field sales with long procurement cycles reflecting the technical complexity and regulatory role of the instruments. The company has pursued co-development partnerships, including the 2025 EUROSTARS 3 Ai1-CAS project with Photonion GmbH and the University of Rostock, to extend its technology roadmap into rapid multi-wavelength thermal-optical carbon analysis coupled with mass spectrometry.

The company is closely held (no venture funding rounds or public listing are disclosed), operates with 11-50 employees, and maintains scientific credibility through decades of field research by named scientists such as Tony Hansen in extreme environments from Antarctica to Siberia. The firm's competitive position rests on proprietary optical and thermal-optical measurement IP, deep accumulated expertise, alignment to international standards, and an unmatched scientific publication footprint that creates high switching costs for installed-base customers.

Name

Aerosol Magee Scientific

Legal name

Aerosol d.o.o.

Website

https://aerosolmageesci.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Aerosol Magee Scientific, founded in 1977, designs and manufactures Aethalometers, Total Carbon Analyzers, and integrated Carbonaceous Aerosol Speciation Systems for real-time and laboratory measurement of black, brown, organic, elemental, and total carbon, serving environmental agencies, research institutions, and industrial operators across 70+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Air Quality Monitoring Instruments

NAICS

Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)

SIC

Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

Ambient Air Quality Monitoring (Criteria Pollutants & Air Toxics) (EUAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Air & Aerosol Monitoring (Bioaerosols, Mold, Yeast, Airborne Pathogens) (AFALAEAD), Airborne Chemical Exposure Monitoring (VOCs, Solvents, Gases) (EUAHAGAA)

Keywords

• Black carbon monitoring
• Carbonaceous aerosol measurement
• Aethalometer instruments
• Air quality monitoring instruments
• Thermal-optical carbon analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Scientific Instrumentation Sales: Sale of specialized air quality monitoring instruments including Aethalometers, Total Carbon Analyzers, DRI analyzers, and integrated systems like CASS. Hardware sales with accompanying software and data tools. Revenue from initial instrument purchase with ongoing support.
2. Aftermarket Services and Support: Technical support, calibration services, and software updates for installed instrument base. Ongoing customer relationships providing recurring revenue through service contracts and spare parts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Aerosol Magee Scientific designs and manufactures scientific instruments for measuring carbonaceous aerosols, including black carbon, brown carbon, organic carbon, elemental carbon, and total carbon. Its product portfolio spans real-time field instruments (Aethalometer AE33, AE36, AE36s, AE43), online total carbon analyzers (TCA08, TCA09), laboratory analyzers (DRI 2015 Series 2, SootScan OT21), the integrated Carbonaceous Aerosol Speciation System (CASS), sample conditioning accessories, and companion data analysis software (CAAT, AEccessor). These instruments are sold to environmental monitoring agencies, research institutions, climate scientists, and industrial operators to support air quality monitoring, source apportionment, and exposure studies.

Product overview

Aerosol Magee Scientific offers a comprehensive portfolio of scientific instruments and software for measuring carbonaceous aerosols, including black carbon, brown carbon, organic carbon, elemental carbon, and total carbon. The product line consists of real-time field instruments (Aethalometer series AE33, AE36, AE36s, AE43 for black carbon measurement), laboratory analyzers (DRI 2015 Series 2, SootScan OT21), integrated systems (Carbonaceous Aerosol Speciation System CASS combining Aethalometer with Total Carbon Analyzer TCA09), standalone total carbon analyzers (TCA09, TCA08), sample conditioning equipment (Sample Stream Dryer), and data analysis software (CAAT, AEccessor). The portfolio spans from portable real-time monitoring to laboratory filter analysis, enabling applications in air quality monitoring, climate research, and health effects studies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aethalometer: Flagship instrument brand for real-time black carbon measurement. Models include AE33, AE36, AE36s, and AE43.
• CASS
• TCA09
• DRI 2015 Series 2
• SootScan OT21
• CAAT
• AEccessor

Products and services

• Aethalometer AE33 Real-time black carbon monitoring instrument for measuring traffic and biomass burning pollution using multi-wavelength optical analysis. Designed for environmental researchers, regulatory agencies, and air quality monitoring networks.
• Aethalometer AE36 Smart black carbon monitoring instrument for measuring traffic and biomass burning pollution with advanced sensor technology. Targeted at researchers and regulatory agencies.
• Aethalometer AE36s Cutting-edge black carbon instrument expanding frontiers of aerosol science with advanced measurement capabilities. Used in advanced research and monitoring applications.
• Aethalometer AE43 Portable real-time black and brown carbon monitoring instrument ideal for urban, rural, or emergency air quality assessments including wildfire smoke tracking. Used by field researchers and emergency response teams.
• Carbonaceous Aerosol Speciation System (CASS) Integrated system combining an Aethalometer (AE36 or AE36s) with the TCA09 for real-time, time-aligned measurement of BC, BrC, TC, EC, POC, and SOC fractions. Designed for advanced research and compliance-grade monitoring applications.
• Total Carbon Analyzer TCA09 Online instrument for total carbon measurements with rugged design supporting long-term, unattended operation in demanding monitoring environments. Aligned with CEN/TR 18076 and calibrated following EN 16909. Targets air quality monitoring networks and research institutions.
• Total Carbon Analyzer TCA08 Real-time total carbon measurement instrument for monitoring carbonaceous aerosol concentrations. Used for continuous ambient monitoring of total carbon.
• DRI 2015 Series 2 Multiwavelength OC/EC laboratory analyzer for analyzing previously-collected filter samples using a thermal-optical method. Used by research institutions and monitoring networks for OC/EC speciation analysis.
• SootScan OT21 Optical Transmissometer Laboratory instrument for analyzing previously-collected filters for black carbon using an optical transmittance method. Used by research laboratories for retrospective filter analysis.
• Sample Stream Dryer Sample conditioning accessory ensuring accurate and trustworthy aerosol data through proper control of measurement conditions. Used as an accessory with Aerosol Magee Scientific real-time instruments.
• CAAT (Carbonaceous Aerosol Analysis Tool) Software application for analyzing and visualizing data from Aerosol Magee Scientific instruments. Used by researchers and operators to process carbonaceous aerosol measurements.
• AEccessor Software application for accessing and managing data from Aerosol Magee Scientific instruments, particularly the Aethalometer line. Used by instrument operators for data retrieval and management.

Quantifiable outcome

• Instruments used in hundreds of air quality networks on all continents
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and notable.

• Photonion GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Co-development partner in EUROSTARS 3 Ai1-CAS project. Photonion contributes RainbowMS (multi-ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometer) for coupling with Aerosol's RMλ-TOCA technology to create an all-in-one carbon analysis system for rapid, deep, online characterisation of aerosols.
• University of RostockcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Research partner in EUROSTARS 3 Ai1-CAS project. University contributes academic research capabilities and scientific expertise to the consortium developing the coupled Ai1-CAS system for carbonaceous aerosol characterization.
• IMPROVE NetworknotableOthersInstruments used by the IMPROVE (Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments) network for tracking aerosol composition, visibility, emission sources, and long-term air quality trends in protected areas such as national parks in the United States.
• National Aerosol Particle Chemical Speciation Network (China)notableOthersDRI 2015 Series 2 analyzers used for daily aerosol sampling in China's national network to study PM2.5 haze sources and track long-term trends in aerosol composition.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sunset Laboratory Inc. Developer of thermal-optical OC/EC analyzers (e.g., semi-continuous OC/EC) widely used in air quality studies; directly competes with Aerosol Magee's DRI 2015 and TCA platforms for filter-based organic/elemental carbon speciation.
• TSI Incorporated: Manufactures aerosol instrumentation including condensation particle counters, optical particle sizers, and dust monitors used alongside Aerosol's aethalometers in monitoring stations and chamber studies.
• Droplet Measurement Technologies (Teledyne): Now part of Teledyne, makes single-particle soot spectrometers (SP2) and cloud/aerosol probes used for black carbon research, offering an alternative approach to BC measurement that overlaps with aethalometry.
• Met One Instruments (Ametek): Provides regulatory-grade ambient air quality monitoring instrumentation (PM and gas), frequently deployed together with Aerosol's carbon analyzers in monitoring networks.
• Environnement SA: European manufacturer of continuous ambient air analyzers (BC, PM, gases) including the ATHOS black carbon instrument; serves overlapping regulatory and research customers.

Broad incumbents

• HORIBA Scientific: Broad analytical and emissions monitoring instruments supplier with aerosol and stack-test products; competes in carbon and particulate analysis through its environmental portfolio.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Global scientific instruments company with air quality and laboratory analytical instruments (particulate and carbon monitoring) serving many of the same research and regulatory customers.

Emerging players

• Aeroqual: Maker of compact air quality monitors for particulates and gases; positioned as a lower-cost, real-time option in some applications overlapping Aerosol's portable AE43 use cases.
• PurpleAir: Low-cost, distributed PM2.5 sensor network that has shifted expectations for hyperlocal particulate data; adjacent competitor in the broader air-quality narrative rather than direct research-grade substitute.

Others

• Magee Scientific (historical entity): Original US research entity associated with the Aethalometer lineage; relevant as historical and brand-contemporary entity connected to the company's technology heritage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@aerosolmageescientific
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/magee-scientific
• Xx.com/MageeScientific

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aerosol Magee Scientific