DART Thermal Profiling for Chemical Signature Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for analyzing chemical residues from fingerprints are inefficient and often fail to detect a wide range of chemicals due to limitations in sample preparation and desorption techniques, particularly in detecting chemicals transferred through contact.
Innovation Solution
The use of Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART) thermal profiling with sorbent fibers or meshes, where desorption gas is heated to various temperatures to analyze samples in positive or negative ion modes, allowing for the detection of a broader range of chemicals by varying the desorption conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If desorption gas is heated to a single temperature for chemical analysis, then the analysis process is simple and fast, but the detection range of chemicals is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by heating the desorption gas to multiple different temperatures in sequence during the analysis process. This allows the system to periodically change the desorption conditions, enabling detection of chemicals with different volatility characteristics that would not be detectable at a single temperature, thus resolving the contradiction between analysis speed and detection range.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temperature parameter of the desorption gas during analysis. By varying the temperature, the system can optimize desorption efficiency for different chemical compounds, expanding the detection range while maintaining relatively fast analysis throughput through controlled parameter variation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If desorption gas is heated to multiple different temperatures for comprehensive chemical detection, then the detection range of chemicals is expanded, but the analysis time and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains continuous useful action by performing desorption and ionization operations continuously at multiple temperatures without requiring intermediate sample preparation or re-injection steps. The same sample is analyzed across different temperature conditions in a continuous process, minimizing time loss while achieving comprehensive chemical detection.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple ion modes (positive and negative) are used for sample analysis, then the range of detectable chemicals increases, but the device complexity and measurement time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by designing the ionization system to perform both positive and negative ion modes using the same hardware infrastructure. The system can switch between ion modes without requiring separate analytical instruments, thereby expanding the range of detectable chemicals while avoiding proportional increases in device complexity.
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
This approach enables rapid and comprehensive analysis of chemical residues, improving the detection of chemicals transferred through contact by enhancing the desorption and ionization of molecules from sorbent surfaces, thereby increasing the sensitivity and specificity of chemical identification.
Implementation Method 1
desorption gas heated to a plurality of different temperatures
Implementation Method 2
DART thermal profile measurement... in positive ion mode... in negative ion mode
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to a method and device to generate a chemical signature for a mixture of analytes. The present invention involves using a SPME surface to one or both absorb and adsorb the mixture of analytes. In an embodiment of the invention, the surface is then exposed to different temperature ionizing species chosen with appropriate spatial resolution to desorb.