System and method for preconcentrating, identifying, and quantifying chemical and biological substances
US6134944A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 29, 1999 |
| Grant date | Oct 24, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 29, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2291/0426
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system and method for preconcentrating, identifying, and quantifying chemical and biological substances is disclosed. An input valve directs a first volume of a sample gas to a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device. The SAW device preconcentrates and detects a mass of a substance within the sample gas. An output valve receives a second volume of the sample gas containing the preconcentrated substance from the SAW device and directs the second volume to a gas chromatograph (GC). The GC identifies the preconcentrated substance within the sample gas. A shunt valve exhausts a volume of the sample gas equal to the first volume minus the second volume away from the SAW device and the GC. The method of the present invention includes the steps of opening an input valve for passing a first volume of a sample gas to a SAW device; preconcentrating and detecting a mass of a substance within the sample gas using the SAW device; opening an output valve for passing a second volume of the sample gas containing the preconcentrated substance to a gas chromatograph (GC); and then identifying the preconcentrated substance within the sample gas using the GC.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.