Collection Substrate for Trace Analyte Transfer in Spectroscopy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current field-portable spectroscopic tools, such as Hazmat ID and FTIR spectrometers, face challenges in analyzing trace residues on surfaces due to interference from the surface itself and require direct contact with the analyte, limiting their ability to detect thin coatings or trace amounts of hazardous chemicals.
Innovation Solution
The development of 'smart wipes' using collection substrates with optimized materials for high affinity, surface area, and spectral transparency, allowing for the capture, concentration, and transfer of analytes for interference-free analysis using spectroscopy, including optical, ion mobility, and mass spectroscopy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If ATR-based measurements are used to detect analytes on surfaces, then the measurement can be performed in the field with portable equipment, but the surface must be flat and smooth within 1-20 micrometers to ensure adequate contact with the ATR crystal surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a collection substrate as an intermediary between the rough surface and the ATR crystal. The collection substrate first contacts the analyte on the rough surface, then transfers the analyte to the ATR crystal for measurement. This mediator enables the system to work with rough surfaces while maintaining the flat surface requirement for ATR measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The measurement process is divided into two separate steps: (1) collection of the analyte from the rough surface onto a collection substrate, and (2) transfer of the collected analyte to the ATR crystal for spectroscopic analysis. This segmentation allows each step to be optimized independently for its specific requirements.
2Quantity of substance
If ATR crystal is placed in direct contact with the sample surface, then the analyte can be detected, but the optical signature of the surface dominates the spectrum and obscures trace level measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the analyte from the surface environment and concentrates it onto a collection substrate. By removing the analyte from its original surface context and placing it on a dedicated collection medium, the system eliminates the interfering optical signature of the original surface while maintaining the analyte for measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The collection substrate serves as an intermediary that separates the analyte from the interfering surface. It collects the analyte through adsorption or absorption, then transfers it to the ATR crystal, preventing the surface optical signature from dominating the measurement spectrum.
3Productivity
If the ATR crystal contacts the sample directly, then the measurement can be performed, but roughened, porous or irregular surfaces with features larger than 1-20 micrometers contain analyte material that is not probed by the measurement
Solution Approach 1:
The collection substrate acts as a mediator that contacts the rough, porous, or irregular surface and collects analyte material from throughout the surface structure. It then transfers the accumulated analyte to the ATR crystal, ensuring complete analyte recovery regardless of surface geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The collection substrate is designed with porous or fibrous structures that can penetrate and contact irregular surface geometries. The porous structure allows the substrate to access analyte material within pores and crevices that would be inaccessible to a flat ATR crystal, improving analyte recovery completeness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and selective detection of analytes without sample or substrate degradation, allowing for accurate identification of chemicals, biological compounds, and particles on surfaces, even in trace amounts, by optimizing the collection and transfer process.
Implementation Method 1
The surface of the substrate can react with or capture the target analyte through sorption, chemical reaction, or through physical abrasion and entrapment of the surface bound analyte
Implementation Method 2
The collection substrate is made of a material selected to have an affinity for the target analyte
Implementation Method 3
The Hazmat ID allows a user to identify a number of solid and liquid samples in the field using infrared spectroscopy
Implementation Method 4
This invention relates in general to analytical schemes for transferring, preconcentrating, detecting and measuring target analytes from surfaces or interfaces using spectroscopic methods including optical spectroscopy
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for capturing a target analyte in advance of performing spectroscopic analysis to determine the existence of the target analyte from a source contacted with a collection substrate. The collection substrate is fabricated of a material selected to have an affinity for the target analyte, sufficiently transparent in a spectral region of interest and capable of immobilizing the target analyte thereon in a manner that limits scattering sufficient to obscure spectral analysis. The collection substrate may be coated with a material selected to react with, bind to, or absorb the target analyte. The method optionally includes the step of transferring the captured target analyte to a second substrate, which may be an optical substrate. The target analyte may be captured to the collection substrate by one or more of wiping, dabbing or swabbing a target analyte carrier with the collection substrate.