Integrated airborne substance collection and detection system

• US 7,633,606 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2006
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MicroFluidic Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MicroFluidic Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Pourahmadi, Farzad, Yuan, Bob, Northrup, Allen, Devitt, Amy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): PUNNOOSE, ROY M
• Application Number:
  US11/509,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20080048874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 356/38, 356/73
• US Class Current: 356/73
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2273 Atmospheric sampling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2217 using a liquid
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms

Abstract

A collection and detection system is configured as a detect to warn system in which the presence of specific types of particles are detected, and may or may not be identified. An air collection module intakes ambient air, detect the presence of one or more different types of airborne particles within the ambient air, and collect the airborne particles, such as within a fluid. A triggering mechanism is positioned to continuously monitor the airflow, to determine one or more characteristics of the airborne particles. If those measured characteristics match specific known characteristics, a trigger signal is generated. In response, a confirmation device performs a detection method on a fluid solution including the airflow particles to determine the presence of one or more different types of specific biological particles.

Claims

1. A detection apparatus to detect the presence of one or more different types of particles, the detection apparatus comprises:

a. a first level detection device configured to interrogate ambient air for the presence of one or more different types of airborne biological particles, wherein the first level detection device is further configured to generate a trigger signal in response to detecting one or more of the different types of airborne biological particles;

b. a fluid interface configured to continuously receive airborne particles within the ambient air interrogated by the first level detection device and to continuously collect the particles within a fluid sample;

c. a second level detection device configured to receive the fluid sample in response to the trigger signal and to confirm the presence of the one or more different types of biological particles using an immuno assay; and

d. microfluidic circuitry to couple the fluid interface to the second level detection device.

2. The detection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the microfluidic circuitry includes a collection vessel to store the fluid sample.

3. The detection apparatus of claim 2 wherein the microfluidic circuitry is configured to meter the fluid sample into one or more portions and to distribute a first portion of the fluid sample to the second level detection device.

4. The detection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second level detection device is configured to identify the one or more different types of biologic particles using the immuno assay.

5. The detection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the biologic particle comprises a pathogen.

6. The detection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the biological particle comprises a toxin.

7. The detection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second level detection device comprises one or more capture devices each configured to capture one or more different types of biological particles from the fluid sample.

8. The detection apparatus of claim 7 wherein the second level detection device further comprises an optical detection module configured to optically detect the presence of the captured one or more different types of biological particles within the one or more capture devices.

9. The detection apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a control module configured to control the operation of the first level detection device, the fluid interface, and the second level detection device to enable the detection apparatus to function automatically.

10. The detection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the detection apparatus is configured to confirm the presence of the one or more different types of biological particles within about 5 minutes from generating the trigger signal.

11. The detection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first level detection device comprises an air collection device configured to intake the ambient air to be interrogated.

12. The detection apparatus of claim 11 wherein the first level detection device further comprises a triggering mechanism configured to monitor the ambient air taken in by the air collection device and to generate the trigger signal.

13. The detection apparatus of claim 12 wherein the triggering mechanism comprises a light source configured to direct light onto the airborne particles and a light collector configured to measure one or more optical characteristics of light impinging the airborne particles.

14. An autonomously functioning detection apparatus to detect the presence of one or more different types of particles, the autonomously functioning detection apparatus comprises:

a. a first level detection device configured to automatically interrogate ambient air for the presence of one or more different types of airborne biological particles, wherein the first level detection device is further configured to automatically generate a trigger signal in response to detecting one or more of the different types of airborne biological particles;

b. a fluid interface configured to automatically and continuously receive airborne particles within the ambient air interrogated by the first level detection device and to automatically and continuously collect the particles within a fluid sample;

c. a second level detection device configured to automatically receive the fluid sample in response to the trigger signal and to automatically confirm the presence of the one or more different types of biological particles;

d. a control module configured to provide control signals to the first level detection device, the fluid interface, and the second level detection device to enable the detection apparatus to function autonomously; and

e. microfluidic circuitry to couple the fluid interface to the second level detection device.

15. The autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 14 wherein the second level detection device is configured to automatically confirm the presence of the one or more different types of biological particles using an immuno assay.

16. The autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 15 wherein the second level detection device is configured to automatically identify the one or more different types of biologic particles using the immuno assay.

17. The autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 14 wherein the microfluidic circuitry includes a collection vessel to automatically store the fluid sample.

18. The autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 17 wherein the microfluidic circuitry is configured to automatically meter the fluid sample into one or more portions and to automatically distribute a first portion of the fluid sample to the second level detection device.

19. The autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 14 wherein the biologic particle comprises a pathogen.

20. The autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 14 wherein the biological particle comprises a toxin.

21. The autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 14 wherein the second level detection device comprises one or more purification devices each configured to automatically capture one or more different types of biological particles from the fluid sample.

22. The autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 21 wherein the second level detection device further comprises an optical detection module configured to optically detect the presence of the captured one or more different types of biological particles within the one or more purification devices.

23. The autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 14 wherein the autonomously functioning detection apparatus is configured to automatically confirm the presence of the one or more different types of biological particles within about 5 minutes from generating the trigger signal.

24. The autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 14 wherein the first level detection device comprises an air collection device configured to automatically intake the ambient air to be interrogated.

25. The autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 24 wherein the first level detection device further comprises a triggering mechanism configured to automatically monitor the ambient air taken in by the air collection device and to automatically generate the trigger signal.

26. The autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 25 wherein the triggering mechanism comprises a light source configured to automatically direct light onto the airborne particles and a light collector configured to automatically measure one or more optical characteristics of light impinging the airborne particles.

28. The detection apparatus of claim 26 wherein the microfluidic circuitry includes a collection vessel to store the fluid sample.

29. The detection apparatus of claim 28 wherein the microfluidic circuitry is configured to meter the fluid sample into one or more portions and to distribute a first portion of the fluid sample to the confirmation device.

27. A detection apparatus to detect the presence of one or more different types of particles, the detection apparatus comprises:

a. an air collection device configured to intake ambient air including airborne particles;

b. a triggering mechanism configured to interrogate the ambient air for the presence of one or more different types of airborne biological particles and to generate a trigger signal in response to detecting one or more of the different types of airborne biological particles;

c. a fluid interface configured to receive airborne particles within the ambient air interrogated by the triggering mechanism and to continuously collect the particles within a fluid sample;

d. a confirmation device configured to receive the fluid sample in response to the trigger signal and to confirm the presence of the one or more different types of biological particles using an immuno assay;

e. microfluidic circuitry to couple the fluid interface to the confirmation device; and

f. a control module configured to provide control signals to the air collection device, the triggering mechanism, the fluid interface, and the confirmation device to enable the detection apparatus to function autonomously,

wherein the air collection device, the triggering mechanism, the fluid interface, the confirmation device, and the control module are components of an integrated device.

30. The detection apparatus of claim 27 wherein the confirmation device is configured to identify the one or more different types of biologic particles using the immuno assay.

31. The detection apparatus of claim 27 wherein the biologic particle comprises a pathogen.

32. The detection apparatus of claim 27 wherein the biological particle comprises a toxin.

33. The detection apparatus of claim 27 wherein the confirmation device comprises one or more purification devices each configured to capture one or more different types of biological particles from the fluid sample, further wherein each purification device includes an optically transparent portion configured to provide optical accessibility at a point of particle capture.

34. The detection apparatus of claim 33 wherein the confirmation device further comprises an optical detection module configured to optically detect the presence of the captured one or more different types of biological particles within the one or more purification devices.

35. The detection apparatus of claim 27 wherein the detection apparatus is configured to confirm the presence of the one or more different types of biological particles within about 5 minutes from generating the trigger signal.

36. The detection apparatus of claim 27 wherein the triggering mechanism comprises a light source configured to direct light onto the airborne particles and a light collector configured to measure one or more optical characteristics of light impinging the airborne particles.

37. A method of detecting the presence of one or more different types of biological particles, the method comprising:

a. continuously collecting ambient air including airborne particles;

b. measuring one or more optical characteristics of the airborne particles;

c. comparing the measured one or more optical characteristics to known optical characteristics associated with one or more types of biological particles;

d. continuously collecting the airborne particles measured for one or more optical characteristics within a fluid sample;

e. generating a trigger signal if the one or more of the measured one or more optical characteristics match one or more of the known optical characteristics; and

f. in response to the trigger signal, transporting the fluid sample via microfluidic circuitry to a detection device and analyzing the fluid sample according to an immuno assay to confirm the presence of the one or more specific types of biological particles.