# US 2014/0190245 A1 · Reduced pressure liquid sampling > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0190245 A1 - Document ID: US20140190245A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/128,075 - Filed: 2012-06-21 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-06-22 - Assignees: 1st Detect Corporation - Applicants: 1St Detect Corporation - Inventors: David Rafferty; Abrar Riaz; Michael Spencer; William R. Stott; James Wylde - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190245A1 ## CPC - G01N 1/28: Preparing specimens for investigation {including physical details of (bio-)chemical methods covered elsewhere, e.g. G01N33/50, C12Q}(mounting specimens on microscopic slides G02B21/34; means for supporting the objects or the materials to be analysed in electron microscopes H01J37/20 {; laboratory gas handling apparatus B01L5/00}) - G01N 1/4022: {by thermal techniques; Phase changes} - H01J 49/04: Arrangements for introducing or extracting samples to be analysed, e.g. vacuum locks; Arrangements for external adjustment of electron- or ion-optical components - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract Processing a liquid sample (204) having an analyte (206) by reducing a pressure in a container (200) including the liquid sample to less than atmospheric pressure and maintaining a reduced pressure in the container. Reducing the pressure in the container (200) and optionally agitating the liquid sample increases an amount of vapor-phase analyte (206) above the liquid sample. In some cases, a concentration of the vapor-phase analyte is further increased, for example, with a chemical trap (502). The vapor-phase analyte can be provided to a chemical analyzer (302). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of processing a liquid sample comprising an analyte, the method comprising: reducing a pressure in a container comprising the liquid sample to less than atmospheric pressure; wherein reducing the pressure in the container increases an amount of vapor-phase analyte above the liquid sample. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising agitating the liquid sample while maintaining a reduced pressure in the container. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein agitating the liquid sample comprises aerating the liquid sample using one or more of a pulsed valve, a leak valve, and a vacuum regulator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein agitating the liquid sample further comprises exciting the liquid sample with an ultrasonic transducer to increase the agitation efficiency. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising sealing the container such that the container is air-tight. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein reducing the pressure comprises reducing the pressure to a pressure above that at which the liquid sample boils. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of any claim 6, further comprising removing some of the vapor-phase analyte from above the liquid sample, and increasing a concentration of the vapor-phase analyte removed from above the liquid sample relative to a concentration of the vapor-phase analyte above the liquid sample. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein increasing the concentration of the vapor-phase analyte removed from above the liquid sample relative to the concentration of the vapor-phase analyte above the liquid sample comprises concentrating the vapor-phase analyte removed from above the liquid sample using a chemical trap, and releasing the vapor-phase analyte from the chemical trap to a chemical analyzer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising reducing a pressure in the chemical trap before releasing the vapor-phase analyte to the chemical analyzer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the chemical analyzer comprises a mass spectrometer. ### Claim 11 A liquid sample processing system comprising: a container; and a vacuum apparatus coupled to the container; wherein the liquid sampling processing system is configured to increase an amount of vapor-phase analyte above a liquid sample in the container by reducing a pressure in the container to less than atmospheric pressure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The liquid sample processing system of claim 11, further comprising an agitating apparatus coupled to the container. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The liquid sampling processing system of claim 12, wherein the container comprises an inlet port and an outlet port. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The liquid sample processing system of claim 13, further comprising a pressure monitoring apparatus coupled to the container. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The liquid sample processing system of claim 14, further comprising a pressure control apparatus coupled to the container. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The liquid sample processing system of claim 15, wherein the agitating apparatus comprises a sparging apparatus. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The liquid sample processing system of claim 16, wherein the sparging apparatus comprises one or more of a pulsed valve, a leak valve, and a vacuum regulator. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The liquid sample processing system of claim 17, wherein the agitating apparatus further comprises an ultrasonic agitator to increase the agitation efficiency. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The liquid sample processing system of claim 18, further comprising a chemical trap coupled to the container. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The liquid sample processing system of claim 19, wherein the chemical trap is a pre-concentrator. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The liquid sample processing system of claim 20, further comprising a chemical analyzer coupled to one or more of the container, the chemical trap, and the vacuum apparatus. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The liquid sample processing system of claim 21, wherein the chemical analyzer comprises a mass spectrometer.