US Government as Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Charles E Henry

Monica J Heyl

Dennis J Reutter

Luis Enrique Faure

George J Noya

Lisa M Gremminger

This mobile sample isolation and containment system is designed to provide a chemical and biological screening and verification capability within an environmentally-controlled area while minimizing exposure of analytical instruments to contamination. Only those parts of the analytical instrument absolutely necessary for retrieving sample information are disposed within the potentially contaminated enclosure, while other electrical or optical components remain outside said enclosure. The system uses multiple technologies that target, interrogate, and describe the same sample. Therefore, an analyst will not need to remove a hazardous sample from containment before it is identified.

Mobile analytical screening, verification, and containment system

A mobile All Hazards Receipt Facility (AHRF) is provided in an enclosure suitable for mounting on a base vehicle such as a semi-trailer. The AHRF includes a containment area compliant with BSL-3 standards, a containment area compliant with BSL-2 standards, a unique bleaching/decontamination station having an airlock to the outside for receiving incoming sample containers, a class III Biosafety Cabinet (Glovebox) connected to the bleaching station via an airlock through which samples are passed for processing, a biosafety cabinet as well as an onboard air handling system that provides air conditioning, filtration and exhaust and maintains appropriate BSL-2 and BSL-3 air pressure differentials.

Mobile all hazards receipt facility/analytical laboratory

A portable containment system includes a glovebox apparatus, a self-contained filter unit, and removable conduits extending therebetween. The glovebox apparatus includes a first module for releasably covering a first sidewall opening. The first module, which has body and flange portions, has a storage position where the body portion is positioned through the first sidewall opening into the glovebox interior and an operative position where the body portion is positioned exterior of the glovebox. The glovebox apparatus includes second modules for releasably covering a second sidewall opening where the second modules are smaller than the first sidewall opening for inserting the second modules into the interior of the glovebox for storage. The filter unit includes a plurality of gas filters, an air pump, and detectors for monitoring the air flow through the system.

Portable glovebox and filtration system

An Analytical Glove Box System has a sealed instrumentation enclosure, a ve box having an injection port coupled to the instrumentation and an air lock through which sample vials can be passed from outside into the glove box. A pump is provided for withdrawing gas from the glove box enclosure through a filter system so that the glove box is maintained at a negative pressure with respect to ambient. Toxic chemical samples can thus be safely handled by an operator and analyzed with sophisticated instrumentation without the risk of contamination. All effluent from the glove box is filtered before release to ambient, leakage from the glove box is further eliminated due to the negative pressure differential maintained, and the instruments are isolated from the potentially contaminated environment of the glove box. The system further provides the ability to conduct highly toxic chemical analysis in field locations since it is portable (including air transportable) and is easily decontaminated.

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Joppa, MD, United States of America

Charles E Henry