Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for trace sample collection

US4819477A · kind A · utility

26Cited by
14References
27Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 25, 1987
Grant dateApr 11, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 25, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2001/2261
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A disposable plastic cartridge contains three fine lightweight wire mesh collectors, each of phosphor bronze. One collector has an oxidized surface for collecting drug particulates. The other two have surfaces electroplated with zinc to form a rough multi-fissured surface for trapping low volatility vapors. In use, a portion of a warm sample air stream is chilled and passed through the collectors in parallel for sample collection. Simultaneously part of the sample air stream by-passes the chiller and is fed directly into a mass analyzer for real time analysis. Next, both collection and real time analysis are terminated, and each collector is desorbed in sequence with a pulse of hot air which flows into the mass analyzer for sequential analysis.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.