Ion trap mobility spectrometer and method of operation for enhanced detection of narcotics
AssigneeIon Track Instruments, Inc.
InventorsAnthony Jenkins, William J. McGann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ion trap mobility spectrometer (ITMS) and method of operation are provided for enhanced detection of narcotics in an air sample. The air sample is transported by a carrier gas with a low concentration of a dopant that has a basicity between the relative basicity of said carrier gas and the narcotic.
Claims20
An apparatus for detecting at least one constituent of interest in a sample of air, the constituent of interest having a basicity in a known range, said apparatus comprising:
- a source of a carrier gas having a basicity less than the basicity of the constituent of interest;
- a source of a dopant having a basicity between the basicity of the carrier gas and the basicity of the constituent of interest;
- mixing means in communication with the source of the carrier gas and the source of the dopant for adding a low concentration of the dopant to said carrier gas;
- a passage in communication with said mixing means and said sample of air;
- pump means in communication with the mixing means and the sample of air for creating a flowing effluent stream comprised of the carrier gas, the dopant and at least portions of the sample of air;
- and
- an ion trap mobility spectrometer in communication with the effluent stream for detecting whether the constituent of interest is in the sample of air.
A method of using an ion mobility spectrometer for testing for the presence of at least one constituent of interest in a sample of air, said constituent of interest having a basicity in a known range, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing an inert carrier gas which has a basicity less than the basicity of said constituent of interest;
- adding to said carrier gas a low known concentration of a dopant having a basicity between the basicity of said carrier gas and the basicity of the constituent of interest;
- directing said carrier gas and said dopant into proximity to said air to be tested, such that said sample of air combines with said carrier gas and said dopant as an effluent stream;
- and
- directing said effluent stream into an ion mobility spectrometer to test for the presence of said constituent of interest.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.