Direct Single Particle Compositional Analysis
AssigneePerkinElmer Health Sciences Canada, Inc.
InventorChady Stephan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for use in introducing samples to an analytical device for single particle compositional analysis. Suitable analytical devices include, for example, an inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometer. Prior to introduction to the analytical device, the sample gas is exchanged with argon gas, for example, using a gas exchange device. The analytical device may be calibrated with a liquid sample which is aerosolized prior to entry into the analytical device.
Claims32
A method for single particle compositional analysis, the method comprising:
- a) transferring a gaseous stream containing a plurality of particles from a gaseous source to a gas exchange device;
- b) passing the gaseous stream through the gas exchange device;
- c) injecting exchange gas through the gas exchange device countercurrent to the gaseous stream, wherein the plurality of particles is transferred to the exchange gas;
- d) outputting the exchange gas to an analytical device;
- and
- e) analyzing the exchange gas in the analytical device comprising:
- ionizing a sample of the exchange gas containing the plurality of particles, wherein the plurality of particles comprises a particle comprising at least a first element and a second element, and wherein ionization of the sample provides excited, ionized first element and excited, ionized second element;
- simultaneously detecting a wavelength of an optical emission from each of the excited, ionized first element and the excited, ionized second element to identify at least the first element in the particle from the plurality of particles using the optical emission from the excited, ionized first element, and to identify at least the second element in the particle from the plurality of particles using the optical emission from the excited, ionized second element;
- and
- using the identified first element and the identified second element to identify a source of the particle.
A system for single particle compositional analysis, the system comprising at least a gas exchange apparatus, a sample introduction device, an ionization device, and an optical detector;
- the gas exchange apparatus comprising:
- a gas exchange device having an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture;
- and
- a conduit coupled to the outlet aperture and configured to transfer output of the gas exchange device to the sample introduction device, the output comprising exchange gas comprising a plurality of particles;
- the sample introduction device configured to provide an individual particle from the plurality of particles, wherein the provided individual particle comprises an average diameter of about 100 nm to about 100 microns;
- an ionization device fluidically coupled to the sample introduction device and configured to ionize elemental species present in the provided individual particle;
- and
- an optical detector configured to simultaneously detect an optical response from each of the ionized elemental species from the provided individual particle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.