Temperature influenced chemical vaporization and detection of compounds having low volatility

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9689857-B1
Application number	US-201615064264-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 8, 2016
Priority date	Mar 8, 2016
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to methods and systems for detecting a chemical substance. The methods and systems include chemically modifying a sample of a substance of interest through combination with a reagent to increase the volatility of the substance of interest. The systems and methods further include performing an analysis of the substance of interest.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for detecting a substance of interest, the method comprising:
collecting a sample comprising a substantially non-volatile substance of interest and at least one other material on a sampling trap;
introducing the trap including the substance of interest and the at least one other material into a thermal desorber;
conducting a two-step desorption process within the desorber of the substance of interest, the two-step desorption process comprising:
desorbing the substance of interest and the at least one other material for a first period of time; wherein desorbing for the first period of time includes vaporizing the at least one other material; transferring the at least one other material from the desorber into a detector; performing an analysis of the at least one other material; and, detecting the at least one other material; and,
depositing a reagent on the trap, wherein the reagent increases the volatility of the substance of interest, wherein depositing the reagent includes spraying the reagent on the trap; and, desorbing the substance of interest for a second period of time, wherein desorbing the substance of interest for a second period of time includes vaporizing the substance of interest; transferring the vaporized substance of interest from the desorber into the detector; performing an analysis of the substance of interest; and, detecting the substance of interest.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reagent includes at least one of an organic acid, an inorganic acid and a reducing agent.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the reagent includes at least one of sulfuric acid, sulfonic acid, phosphonic acid, phosphoric acid and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substance of interest includes at least one of sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, strontium nitrate, barium nitrate, sodium chlorate, potassium chlorate, sodium perchlorate, potassium perchlorate, sodium permanganate, potassium permanganate, and combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substance of interest include at least one of an explosive, an energetic material, a taggant, a narcotic, a toxin, a chemical warfare agent, a biological warfare agent, a pollutant, a pesticide, a toxic industrial chemical, a toxic industrial material, a homemade explosive, a pharmaceutical trace contaminant and combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substance of interest includes at least one of nitrates, chlorates, perchlorates, permanganates and combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first period of time is from about 0 seconds to about 6 seconds.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second period of time is from about 6 seconds to about 12 seconds.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature within the desorber is from about 50° C. to about 400° C.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature within the desorber is ramped over a period of time of from about 0 seconds to about 20 seconds.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the temperature within the desorber is ramped to a temperature of from about 50° C. to about 400° C.

12. A method for detecting a substantially non-volatile salt compound, the method comprising:
increasing the volatility of a substantially non-volatile salt compound, wherein increasing the volatility of the salt compound includes conducting a two-step desorption process on the salt compound, the two-step desorption process comprising desorbing a sample collected on a sampling trap, the sample comprising the salt compound and at least one other material for a first period of time in a desorber, wherein desorbing for the first period of time includes vaporizing the at least one other material; transferring the at least one other material from the desorber into a detector, wherein the detector performs an analysis of the at least one other material and detects the at least one other material; depositing a reagent on the trap, wherein the reagent increases the volatility of the salt compound, wherein depositing the reagent includes spraying the reagent on the trap; and, desorbing the salt compound for a second period of time in the desorber, wherein desorbing the salt compound for a second period of time includes vaporizing the salt compound; and,
transferring the vaporized salt compound from the desorber into the detector, wherein the detector performs an analysis of the vaporized salt compound and detects the salt compound.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the reagent includes at least one of an organic acid, an inorganic acid and a reducing agent.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the reagent includes at least one of sulfuric acid, sulfonic acid, phosphonic acid, phosphoric acid and combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the substantially non-volatile salt compound includes at least one of sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, strontium nitrate, barium nitrate, sodium chlorate, potassium chlorate, sodium perchlorate, potassium perchlorate, sodium permanganate, potassium permanganate, and combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the substantially non-volatile salt compound includes at least one of nitrates, chlorates, perchlorates, permanganates and combinations thereof.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first period of time is from about 0 seconds to about 6 seconds.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the second period of time is from about 6 seconds to about 12 seconds.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the temperature within the desorber is ramped over a period of time of from about 0 seconds to about 20 seconds.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the temperature within the desorber is ramped to a temperature of from about 50° C. to about 400° C.

Assignees

• Morpho Detection Llc

Inventors

• Vilkov Andrey N
• Widjaja Joseph A
• Syage Jack A

Classifications

• Y10T436/25875

  Gaseous sample or with change of physical state · CPC title

• Y10T436/173076

  Nitrite or nitrate · CPC title

• Y10T436/163333

  Organic [e.g., chemical warfare agents, insecticides, etc.] · CPC title

• G01N2001/028

  Sampling from a surface, swabbing, vaporising · CPC title

• G01N2001/022

  sampling for security purposes, e.g. contraband, warfare agents · CPC title