SBIR-STTR Award

Exploratory development of an advanced, direct air sampling gas chromatography (gc) module is proposed. The gc riodule can be readily combined with existing ion mobility spectrometry (ins) equipment for detecting and monitoring chemical warfare agents, e.G., The cam (chemical agent monitor) currently adopted by several nato member states. The gc module incorporates a novel, ambient air sampling device coupled to a short capillary gc column. The feasibility of achieving a quantum jump in cam performance with regard to: (1) interferant rejection; (2) quantitative response; (3) detectability of low volatile compounds (e.G., Intact vs and trichothecene mycotoxins); and (4) sensitivity to long term exposure threshold levels will be investigated in phase i. Physicochemical principles underlying the performance of the air sampling device as well as of the capillary gc column are sufficiently well understood to permit extensive use of computer modeling and simulation techniques in addition to selected laboratory testing, thereby greatly reducing duration and cost of the proposed exploratory development effort.

Phase I SBIR developments along with corporate efforts by FemtoScan and Graseby Ionics have demonstrated the feasibility of a handheld TLGC/IMS device for monitoring ambient vapors at low concentrations in near real time. The presently proposed effort is to construct an integrated, application ready system for sample preconcentration, automated vapor sampling, transfer line gas chromatography and ion mobility spectrometry. This program proposes the construction of two AVS-TLGC/IMS prototypes which will be capable of TWA level responses in <2 min utilizing highly specific, 2-dimensional GC/IMS detection techniques. To obtain the most responsive system currently possible, development of improved data acquisition and reduction techniques for the increased data yield rate and dimensionality, as well as an improved GC to IMS source interface will be undertaken. Finally, a portion of the program will be directed toward application development and performance testing to evaluate the full range of analyses suitable to AVS-TLGC/IMS analysis and to verify the performance level of the prototype devices.