Sampling of confined spaces
First Claim
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1. A container for analyzing a cargo comprising:
- the container, wherein the container can be substantially confined on all sides, wherein the container includes at least a distal end and a proximal end; and
an atmospheric ionization sorbent module (AISM) including a sorbent surface and a region in front of the sorbent surface, wherein the AISM is located one or both of within the container and outside the container, wherein the AISM is adapted to be connected to one or more sites inside the container, wherein the AISM is adapted to receive an atmospheric ionizer directed at the region in front of the sorbent surface, wherein the atmospheric ionizer forms ions of molecules present one or both in the region in front of the sorbent surface and on the sorbent surface, wherein the AISM is adapted to connect to a spectroscopy system, wherein the spectroscopy system analyzes the ions formed by the atmospheric ionizer.
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Abstract
In various embodiments of the invention, a cargo container can be monitored at appropriate time intervals to determine that no controlled substances have been shipped with the cargo in the container. The monitoring utilizes reactive species produced from an atmospheric analyzer to ionize analyte molecules present in the container which are then analyzed by an appropriate spectroscopy system. In an embodiment of the invention, a sorbent surface can be used to absorb, adsorb or condense analyte molecules within the container whereafter the sorbent surface can be interrogated with the reactive species to generate analyte species characteristic of the contents of the container.
146 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A container for analyzing a cargo comprising:
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the container, wherein the container can be substantially confined on all sides, wherein the container includes at least a distal end and a proximal end; and an atmospheric ionization sorbent module (AISM) including a sorbent surface and a region in front of the sorbent surface, wherein the AISM is located one or both of within the container and outside the container, wherein the AISM is adapted to be connected to one or more sites inside the container, wherein the AISM is adapted to receive an atmospheric ionizer directed at the region in front of the sorbent surface, wherein the atmospheric ionizer forms ions of molecules present one or both in the region in front of the sorbent surface and on the sorbent surface, wherein the AISM is adapted to connect to a spectroscopy system, wherein the spectroscopy system analyzes the ions formed by the atmospheric ionizer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 22)
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9. A system for determining the presence of controlled substances in a cargo container comprising:
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(a) receiving the cargo container holding cargo, wherein the cargo container is substantially confined on all sides, wherein the cargo container includes; a distal end; a proximal end; one or more atmospheric ionization sorbent modules (AISM) containing one or more sorbent surfaces and one or more regions in front of the one or more sorbent surfaces, wherein the one or more AISM are located one or both within the cargo container and outside the cargo container, wherein the one or more AISM are adapted to receive one or more atmospheric ionizers, wherein the one or more AISM are adapted to receive one or more gas ion separator (GIS) connected to one or more spectroscopy system; and one or more tubes located in the container connecting one or both the distal end and the proximal end to the region in front of the sorbent surface; (b) coupling one or more atmospheric ionizer to the one or more AISM, wherein the one or more atmospheric ionizers are directed at the one or more regions in front of the one or more sorbent surface, wherein the one or more atmospheric ionizers form ions of molecules present in one or both the one or more regions in front of the one or more sorbent surfaces and on the one or more sorbent surfaces; (c) coupling one or more gas ion separator (GIS) in the one or more regions in front of the sorbent surfaces, wherein the one or more GIS are coupled to one or more spectrometers, wherein the one or more GIS transport the ions into the one or more spectrometers, wherein the one or more spectrometers analyze the ions; (d) receiving analysis data from the one or more spectrometers; and (e) correlating the analysis with controlled substances to determine the presence of controlled substances in the cargo container. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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23. A method of interdicting one or more controlled substances when shipping cargo in a container, comprising:
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(a) receiving the container including; one or more atmospheric ionization sorbent module (AISM) located inside the container prior to shipping of the container; (b) loading cargo into the container; (c) transporting the container to a destination; (d) locating one or more atmospheric ionizer on or near the container at one or more times during transporting, wherein the one or more atmospheric ionizer is located such that a plurality of analyte species are formed when the reactive species impinge the one or more AISM; (e) locating one or more spectrometers on or near the container, wherein the one or more spectrometers are located such that the plurality of analyte species formed at the one or more AISM enter the one or more spectrometers; (f) detecting the analyte species with the one or more spectrometers to determine if one or more controlled substances are present in the container; (g) communicating one or both the absence and the presence of one or more controlled substances in the container to a base station, wherein the information communicated includes one or more of;
date and time of detection;
shipment method, location of shipment and controlled substances detected; and(h) interdiction of containers containing the one or more controlled substances.
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Specification