Micro scale flow through sorbent plate collection device

• US 8,409,510 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2006
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture, University of Louisville
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy, University of Louisville
• Inventors: McGill, Robert Andrew, Martin, Michael, Crain, Mark, Walsh, Kevin, Houser, Eric, Stepnowski, Stanley Vincent, Nguyen, Viet
• Primary Examiner(s): LUDLOW, JAN M
• Application Number:
  US11/542,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20100120167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,374 Days
• Field of Search: 422/69, 422/70, 422/89, 422/101, 422/88, 422/527, 436/161, 436/178, 95/82, 95/87, 95/90, 951/06, 961/01, 961/04, 961/08, 961/12, 961/175, 210/660, 210/662, 73/233.5, 73/234.1, 73/615.2, 73/615.5
• US Class Current: 422/88
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/10 Integrating sample preparation and analysis in single entity, e.g. lab-on-a-chip concept
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/069 Absorbents; Gels to retain a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/1827 using resistive heater
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502753 characterised by bulk separation arrangements on lab-on-a-chip devices, e.g. for filtration or centrifugation separation in general B01D; microapparatus for analysis using electrophoresis G01N27/44791; sample preparation G01N1/28
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 7/00 Heating or cooling apparatus autoclaves B01J3/04; Heat insulating devices
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/02 Devices for withdrawing samples sampling of foundation soil E02D1/04; collecting or conveying radioactive samples G01T7/00, e.g. G01T7/02, G01T7/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2214 by sorption
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2273 Atmospheric sampling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/40 Concentrating samples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/405 by adsorption or absorption
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/022 sampling for security purposes, e.g. contraband, warfare agents
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/062 extracting sample from raw material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/121 cooling; cold traps
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/08 using an enricher
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0011 Sample conditioning in general G01N1/28
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 including sample preparation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/255 including use of a solid sorbent, semipermeable membrane, or liquid extraction

Abstract

In the invention, a collection device includes a flow through micro scale plate arranged to collect analyte. The plate includes holes, and sorbent coating on contact surfaces of the plate. The holes pass analyte fluid flow, for example analyte vapor so that fluid flow for collection may be generally perpendicular to the sorbent plate. Preferred embodiment plates include an integrated heater trace. In preferred embodiments, a high substantially perpendicular flow is used for collection and concentration, and during desorption and delivery a low substantially parallel flow is used. The low flow is selected to meet constraints of a detector system.

Claims

1. An analyte collection device, the device comprising:

a first micro scale plate having a narrowed end;

sorbent coating on at least a portion of said first micro scale plate;

a penetrating hole through said first micro scale plate, said hole being arranged to permit passage of an analyte fluid flow through said first micro scale plate; and

a heating element for heating said sorbent coating;

wherein said first micro scale plate comprises a collection zone for collecting analyte from environment and a delivery zone for delivering the analyte from the device;

wherein said heating element comprises a plurality of resistive traces formed on or within said first micro scale plate;

wherein said resistive traces divide said micro scale plate into the collection zone and the delivery zone; and

wherein the delivery zone has a smaller area on said first micro scale plate than the collection zone for concentrating analyte from the collection zone in the smaller area and delivering the analyte to a detector system;

wherein the narrowed end is disposed in the delivery zone.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said heating element comprises a resistive trace formed on or within said first micro scale plate.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said penetrating hole comprises a plurality of penetrating holes through said first micro scale plate.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein said narrowed end is sized to match an inlet of a detector system.

5. The device of claim 4, comprising multiple sorbent coatings formed in multiple zones of said first micro scale plate, each sorbent coating being selected to sorb a predetermined analyte.

6. The device of claim 5, comprising separate heating elements for each of said multiple zones.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein said narrowed end is sized to match the inlet of one of a capillary gas chromatographic column, a narrow orifice inlet to a mass spectrometer, and a micro sensor pneumatic manifold opening.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said sorbent coating is formed thicker in said smaller delivery zone than in said collection zone.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising a second micro scale plate with a narrowed end, sorbent coating, a penetrating hole, and heating element, said second micro scale plate being arranged downstream of said first micro scale plate such that an analyte fluid flow substantially perpendicular to said first micro scale plate is directed through said first micro scale plate and subsequently through said second micro scale plate.

10. A self contained micro analytical system, comprising

a collection device according to claim 9;

a detector system;

a power source; and

a controller;

wherein said controller drives said heating element with a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein each of said first and second micro scale plates comprises a plurality of penetrating holes.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein said penetrating holes through said first micro scale plate are at least partially aligned with solid portions of said second micro scale plate to induce a cascading flow of analyte fluid through said first and second micro scale plates.

13. The device of claim 12, further comprising a support for said first and second micro scale plates.

14. The device of claims 13, wherein said support comprises a housing.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein said support comprises a frame and suspension.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein said first micro scale plate is formed from a semiconductor material.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein said first semiconductor material comprises silicon.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein said first micro scale plate is formed from a dielectric material.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein said dielectric material comprises one of polymers, ceramics, glass, crystalline quartz, fused silica, and resins.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein said dielectric material comprises polyimide.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein said penetrating hole comprises a plurality of penetrating holes taking up approximately 40-60% of the surface area of said first micro scale plate.

22. The analyte collection device of claim 1, wherein said first micro scale plate is asymmetrical.

23. A self contained micro analytical system, comprising:

an analyte collection device, the comprising;

a first micro scale plate having a narrowed end;

sorbent coating on at least a portion of said first micro scale plate;

a penetrating hole through said first micro scale plate, said hole being arranged to permit passage of an analyte fluid flow through said first micro scale plate;

a heating element for heating said sorbent coating, wherein said first micro scale plate comprises a collection zone for collecting analyte from environment and a delivery zone for delivering the analyte from the device; and

a second micro scale plate with a narrowed end, sorbent coating, a penetrating hole, and a heating element, said second micro scale plate being arranged downstream of said first micro scale plate such that an analyte fluid flow substantially perpendicular to said first micro scale plate is directed through said first micro scale plate and subsequently through said second micro scale plate;

a detector system;

a power source; and

a controller;

wherein said controller drives said heating element with a pulse width modulation(PWM) signal;

wherein the system further comprises;

a housing for the collection device;

an inlet to said housing;

an outlet from said housing;

means for inducing flow for analyte collection; and

means for inducing flow for the analyte from the collection zone to the delivery zone;

wherein the narrowed end of said first micro scale plate and the narrowed end of said second micro scale plate are sized to match an inlet of said detector system to interface with said detector system.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said means for inducing flow for analyte collection comprises a low power fan.

25. An analyte collection device, the device comprising:

a micro scale plate;

a penetrating hole through said micro scale plate, said hole being arranged to permit passage of an analyte fluid flow through said micro scale plate;

a first resistive trace forming a first heating element defining a first zone on said micro scale plate;

a second resistive trace forming a second heating element defining a second zone on said micro scale plate; and

sorbent coating formed on at least a portion of said first zone and a portion of said second zone;

wherein said first zone comprises a collection zone for concentrating analyte from environment and said second zone comprises a delivery zone for concentrating analyte from the collection zone in a smaller area and delivering the analyte to a detector system;

wherein said sorbent coating is thicker in said second zone than in said first zone; and

wherein said sorbent coating in said first zone and said second zone comprises the same sorbent material.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein said second zone is smaller than said first zone.

27. A self contained micro analytical system, comprising:

an analyte collection device, the device comprising;

a micro scale plate having a narrowed end;

sorbent coating on at least a portion of said micro scale plate;

a penetrating hole through said micro scale plate, said hole being arranged to permit passage of an analyte fluid flow through said micro scale plate; and

a heating element for heating said sorbent coating, wherein said micro scale plate comprises a collection zone for collecting analyte from environment and a delivery zone for delivering the analyte from the device;

a detector system;

an airflow system;

a power source; and

a controller, wherein said controller controls said airflow system;

wherein the system further comprises;

a housing for the collection device;

an inlet to said housing; and

an outlet from said housing;

wherein the narrowed end of micro scale plate is sized to match an inlet of said detector system to interface with said detector system; and

wherein said controller controls said airflow system to induce flow through said micro scale plate for analyte collection and, subsequently, to induce flow from the collection zone to the delivery zone.