Method and apparatus for the detection of toxicants
US4513280A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 4, 1984 |
| Grant date | Apr 23, 1985 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 4, 2004 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N33/1866
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus for rapidly detecting toxicants via the use of a ft CO.sub.2 sensing cell and a second reference CO.sub.2 sensing cell, with each sensing cell including a first chamber and a second chamber, separated by a CO.sub.2 permeable membrane, and a pH sensor disposed in each of the second chambers. The method includes the step of placing distilled water in the first chamber of each cell, and allowing its dissolved CO.sub.2 to become equilibrated with the water in the second chamber, from which it is separated by the CO.sub.2 permeable membrane. Next, exact amounts of a microorganism and sugar are added to small dishes in the first chambers along with control vegetation for one dish and vegetation to be tested to the other dish. Then the first chambers are completely filled with distilled water and the dishes are agitated to facilitate a solution of microorganisms and sugar. The method further includes the steps of sensing the pH in the liquid contained in each of the second chambers, determining the difference between the outputs from the pH sensors, and generating an alarm signal if this difference equals or exceeds a predetermined threshold. In one embodiment, yeas…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.