A new approach for the collection of aerosol particles is described in which the particles are first collected on a water-soluble filter and then liberated into an aqueous solution. The filter was manufactured by electrospinning a polyacrylamide (PdAA) gel solution containing 2,2'-(bisacrylamino) diethyl disulfide (BAC) cross-links after gel dissolution in a water solution of beta-mercaptoethanol. The morphology of the P(AA-BAC) nanofibers was characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and optical microscopy. The filters were characterized for their ability to capture aerosol particles, their stability at high humidity, and their ability to release captured particles. Copyright (C) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.