University of California

The United States of America As Represented by the United States

Pearl Technology Holdings, LLC

Brian D Andresen

Fred S Miller

Joel Del Eckels

Peter J Nunes

David W Myers

James F Kimmons

Paul J Weber

Jeffrey S Haas

Thomas M Tillotson

Armando Alcaraz

Fredrick R Kelly

Erik Randich

Walter H Martin

Robert F Keville

A thin layer chromatograph residue applicator sampler. The residue applicator sampler provides for rapid analysis of samples containing high explosives, chemical warfare, and other analyses of interest under field conditions. This satisfied the need for a field-deployable, small, hand-held, all-in-one device for efficient sampling, sample dissolution, and sample application to an analytical technique. The residue applicator sampler includes a sampling sponge that is resistant to most chemicals and is fastened via a plastic handle in a hermetically sealed tube containing a known amount of solvent. Upon use, the wetted sponge is removed from the sealed tube and used as a swiping device across an environmental sample. The sponge is then replaced in the hermetically sealed tube where the sample remains contained and dissolved in the solvent. A small pipette tip is removably contained in the hermetically sealed tube. The sponge is removed and placed into the pipette tip where a squeezing-out of the dissolved sample from the sponge into the pipette tip results in a droplet captured in a vial for later instrumental analysis, or applied directly to a thin layer chromatography plate for immediate analysis.

Thin layer chromatography residue applicator sampler

A sample collection substrate of aerogel and/or xerogel materials bound to a support structure is used as a solid phase microextraction (SPME) device. The xerogels and aerogels may be organic or inorganic and doped with metals or other compounds to target specific chemical analytes. The support structure is typically formed of a glass fiber or a metal wire (stainless steel or kovar). The devices are made by applying gel solution to the support structures and drying the solution to form aerogel or xerogel. Aerogel particles may be attached to the wet layer before drying to increase sample collection surface area. These devices are robust, stable in fields of high radiation, and highly effective at collecting gas and liquid samples while maintaining superior mechanical and thermal stability during routine use. Aerogel SPME devices are advantageous for use in GC/MS analyses due to their lack of interfering background and tolerance of GC thermal cycling.

Method for preparing a solid phase microextraction device using aerogel

A field kit for the collection, isolation and concentration of trace amounts of high explosives (HE), biological weapons (BW) and chemical weapons (CW) residues in air, soil, vegetation, swipe, and liquid samples. The field kit includes a number of Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) fiber and syringe assemblies in a hermetically sealed transportation container or tubes which includes a sampling port, a number of extra SPME fiber and syringe assemblies, the fiber and syringe assemblies including a protective cap for the fiber, and an extractor for the protective cap, along with other items including spare parts, protective glove, and an instruction manual, all located in an airtight container.

Solid phase microextraction field kit

Solid phase microextraction device using aerogel

A porous protective sheath for active extraction media used in solid phase microextraction (SPME). The sheath permits exposure of the media to the environment without the necessity of extending a fragile coated fiber from a protective tube or needle. Subsequently, the sheath can pierce and seal with GC-MS septums, allowing direct injection of samples into inlet ports of analytical equipment. Use of the porous protective sheath, within which the active extraction media is contained, mitigates the problems of: 1) fiber breakage while the fiber is extended during sampling, 2) active media coating loss caused by physical contact of the bare fiber with the sampling environment; and 3) coating slough-off during fiber extension and retraction operations caused by rubbing action between the fiber and protective needle or tube.

Porous protective solid phase micro-extractor sheath

Airborne or aqueous organic compound collection using carbon nanotubes. Exposure of carbon nanotube-coated disks to controlled atmospheres of chemical warefare (CW)-related compounds provide superior extraction and retention efficiencies compared to commercially available airborne organic compound collectors. For example, the carbon nanotube-coated collectors were four (4) times more efficient toward concentrating dimethylmethyl-phosphonate (DMMP), a CW surrogate, than Carboxen, the optimized carbonized polymer for CW-related vapor collections. In addition to DMMP, the carbon nanotube-coated material possesses high collection efficiencies for the CW-related compounds diisopropylaminoethanol (DIEA), and diisopropylmethylphosphonate (DIMP).

Carbon nanotube coatings as chemical absorbers

An edible fiberoptic light source is combined with confectioneries, in particular candy, to form a safe edible material possessing unusual combinations of internally generated colors and optical images. The basic design consists of a edible food pipes that may be placed within various confectioneries or foodstuffs that elicits light of various colors and intensities while standing untouched and even as the product is ingested. Digestible optical fibers act as light pipes to carry light into confectioneries where different colors and patterns of light are generated as the candy is reduced in size. Indigestible fiberoptics may see use delivering light energy into areas of digestible fiberoptic or digestible optic carriage. The light source and edible fiber optics not only has uses in candies of all types, especially lollipops and hard candy, but also is suitable for frozen food products (Popsicles), cakes and pies with lettering and decorations that emit light. The candy or other decorated edible may be of liquid, solid or gelatinous form.

Fiber optic candy

An ultratrace detector system for hand-held gas chromatography having high sensitivity, for example, to emissions generated during production of weapons, biological compounds, drugs, etc. The detector system is insensitive to water, air, helium, argon, oxygen, and CO . The detector system is basically composed of a hand-held capillary gas chromatography (GC), an insulated heated redox-chamber, a detection chamber, and a vapor trap. For example, the detector system may use gas phase redox reactions and spectral absorption of mercury vapor. The gas chromatograph initially separates compounds that percolate through a bed of heated mercuric oxide (HgO) in a silica&mdash;or other metal&mdash;aerogel material which acts as an insulator. Compounds easily oxidized by HgO liberate atomic mercury that subsequently pass through a detection chamber which includes a detector cell, such as quartz, that is illuminated with a 254 nm ultra-violet (UV) mercury discharge lamp which generates the exact mercury absorption bands that are used to detect the liberated mercury atoms. Atomic mercury strongly absorbs 254 nm energy is therefore a specific signal for reducing compounds eluting from the capillary GC, whereafter the atomic mercury is trapped for example, in a silicon-aerogel trap.

Method for detection of extremely low concentration

A new approach and instrument for field identification of micro-organisms and DNA fragments using a small and disposable device containing integrated polymerase chain reaction (PCR) enzymatic reaction wells, attached capillary electrophoresis (CE) channels, detectors, and read-out all on/in a small hand-held package. The analysis instrument may be made inexpensively, for example, of plastic, and thus is disposable, which minimizes cross contamination and the potential for false positive identification between samples. In addition, it is designed for multiple users with individual applications. The integrated PCR/CE is manufactured by the PCR well and CE channels are 'stamped' into plastic depressions where conductive coatings are made in the wells and ends of the CE microchannels to carry voltage and current to heat the PCR reaction mixtures and simultaneously draw DNA bands up the CE channels. Light is transmitted through the instrument at appropriate points and detects PCR bands and identifies DNA fragments by size (retention time) and quantifies each by the amount of light generated as each phototransistor positioned below each CE channel detects a passing band. The instrument is so compact that at least 100 PCR/CE reactions/analyses can be performed easily on one detection device.

Integrated polymerase chain reaction/electrophoresis instrument

An ultratrace detector system for hand-held gas chromatography having high sensitivity, for example, to emissions generated during production of weapons, biological compounds, drugs, etc. The detector system is insensitive to water, air, helium, argon, oxygen, and C0.sub.2. The detector system is basically composed of a hand-held capillary gas chromatography (GC), an insulated heated redox-chamber, a detection chamber, and a vapor trap. For example, the detector system may use gas phase redox reactions and spectral absorption of mercury vapor. The gas chromatograph initially separates compounds that percolate through a bed of heated mercuric oxide (HgO) in a silica--or other metal--aerogel material which acts as an insulator. Compounds easily oxidized by HgO liberate atomic mercury that subsequently pass through a detection chamber which includes a detector cell, such as quartz, that is illuminated with a 254 nm ultra-violet (UV) mercury discharge lamp which generates the exact mercury absorption bands that are used to detect the liberated mercury atoms. Atomic mercury strongly absorbs 254 nm energy is therefore a specific signal for reducing compounds eluting from the capillary GC, whereafter the atomic mercury is trapped for example, in a silicon-aerogel trap.

Ultratrace detector for hand-held gas chromatography

A gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) for use as a field portable organic chemical analysis instrument. The GC-MS is designed to be contained in a standard size suitcase, weighs less than 70 pounds, and requires less than 600 watts of electrical power at peak power (all systems on). The GC-MS includes: a conduction heated, forced air cooled small bore capillary gas chromatograph, a small injector assembly, a self-contained ion/sorption pump vacuum system, a hydrogen supply, a dual computer system used to control the hardware and acquire spectrum data, and operational software used to control the pumping system and the gas chromatograph. This instrument incorporates a modified commercial quadrupole mass spectrometer to achieve the instrument sensitivity and mass resolution characteristic of laboratory bench top units.

Portable gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer

A portable mass spectrometer is described having one or more electrostatic focusing sectors and a magnetic focusing sector, all of which are positioned inside a vacuum chamber, and all of which may be adjusted via adjustment means accessible from outside the vacuum chamber. Mounting of the magnetic sector entirely within the vacuum chamber permits smaller magnets to be used, thus permitting reductions in both weight and bulk.

Growing community of inventors

Livermore, CA, United States of America

Brian D Andresen