Stephen F O'Brien

US Patent:

54767946, Dec 19, 1995

Filed:

Jul 29, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/282780

Inventors:

Stephen E. O'Brien - Bolton MA
David H. Fine - Sudbury MA
Freemand W. Fraim - Lexington MA

Assignee:

Thermedics Inc. - Woburn MA

International Classification:

F42B 1310

US Classification:

436 92

Abstract:

Disclosed is a method of rapidly checking surfaces for the presence of traces of specific compounds such as certain explosives and drugs. A hand-covering such as a cotton glove is used to wipe surfaces to pick up particles of the specific compound which may indicate the presence of larger amounts or previous contact of a surface by a person who has handled the compound. The particles are transferred--unheated--to collection surfaces of a hand-held sample probe by vacuuming of the gloved hand by the battery-operated probe. Heat is then supplied by a source external to the probe to vaporize the particles, and the vapors are analyzed by a suitable technique such as high speed gas chromatography. The method permits checking of surfaces for explosives at processing rates of up to several samples per minute.