Portable lead detector
AssigneeThe Electrosynthesis Company, Inc.
InventorsEmory S. De Castro, John D. Genders
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods for quickly and easily detecting trace amounts of metallic or non-metallic, electro-active substances, and in particular trace amounts of metals, such as lead in a portable, hand-held detector system with single potential control.
Claims31
A method of trace substance analysis, comprising the steps of:
- introducing a solution having a low concentration of at least one metallic or non-metallic, electro-active substance into a chamber containing a transducer having a collector electrode array interdigitated with a detector electrode array;
- applying a first reducing potential to said collector electrode array for a first period of time whereby ions of said at least one metallic or non-metallic, electro-active substance are reduced from said solution and concentrated on said collector electrode array;
- applying a first oxidizing potential to said collector electrode array for a second period of time and simultaneously applying a detecting potential to said detector electrode array for said second period of time whereby said at least one metallic or non-metallic, electro-active substance concentrated on said collector array is stripped as ions from said collector electrode array back into said solution;
- and
- measuring a current across said detector electrode array during said second period of time to determine the amount of said at least one metallic or non-metallic, electro-active substance within said solution.
A method of trace substance analysis, comprising the steps of:
- introducing a solution having a low concentration of at least one electro-active substance into a chamber containing a transducer having a collector electrode array interdigitated with a detector electrode array;
- applying a first oxidizing potential to said collector electrode array for a first period of time whereby ions of said at least one electro-active substance are oxidized from said solution and concentrated on said collector electrode array;
- applying a first reducing potential to said collector electrode array for a second period of time and simultaneously applying a detecting potential to said detector electrode array for said second period of time whereby said at least one electro-active substance concentrated on said collector electrode array is stripped from said collector electrode array back into said solution;
- and
- measuring the current across said detector electrode array during second period of time to determine the amount of said at least one electro-active substance within said solution.
A system for trace substance analysis, comprising:
- means for introducing a solution having a low concentration of at least one electro-active substance into a chamber containing a transducer having a collector electrode array interdigitated with a detector electrode array;
- means for applying a first reducing potential to said collector electrode array for a first period of time whereby ions of said at least one electro-active substance are reduced from said solution and concentrated on said collector electrode array;
- means for applying a first oxidizing potential to said collector electrode array for a second period of time;
- means for applying a detecting potential to said detector electrode array during said second period of time whereby said at least one electro-active substance on said collector electrode array is stripped from said collector electrode array back into said solution;
- and
- means for measuring current across said detector electrode array during said second period of time to determine the amount of said at least one electro-active substance within said solution.
A system for trace substance analysis, comprising:
- means for introducing a solution having a low concentration of at least one electro-active substance into a chamber containing a transducer formed of a collector electrode array interdigitated with a detector electrode array;
- means for applying a first oxidizing potential to said collector electrode array for a first period of time whereby said species of said at least one electro-active substance are oxidized from said solution and concentrated on said collector electrode array;
- means for applying a first reducing potential to said collector electrode array for a second period of time;
- means for applying a detecting potential to said detector electrode array during said second period of time whereby said at least one electro-active substance concentrated on said collector array is stripped from said collector electrode array back into said solution;
- and
- means for measuring current across said detector electrode array during said second period of time to determine the amount of said at least one electro-active substance within said solution.
An interdigitated array constructed of a first electrode array and a second electrode array, each of said first and second electrode arrays being constructed of a monolithic, digitated array having a plurality of spaced digits each coated with a layer of mercury, said spaced digits are constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, iridium, indium, tin oxide, indium and tin oxide, Ebonex.TM., silver graphite glass, carbon, and conductive carbon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.