Aircraft Aerosol Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer
Researchers at UC San Diego have developed a smaller and higher resolution, single-particle, mass spectrometer based on a previously patented technique and instrument (ATOFMS). [See U.S. patents 5,681,752 and 5,998,215.] The new instrument is fully automated, compact, faster, has a higher m/z range, higher sensitivity, and low power consumption. It analyzes data in real-time and uses a special robust software library, created with millions of particles, to apportion particles to specific sources "on-the-fly." The library, developed over a ten-year period, is extensive but is readily adaptable to new signatures. The novel folded-Z design is much smaller than the existing transportable ATOFMS and detects 100 percent of ions up to m/z 2000. The instrument is operational and has undergone field testing. Numerous potential applications exist, such as drug analysis, biowarfare detection of individual biological particles, cleanroom monitoring, on-line biological analysis (MALDI), environmental measurements of pollutants and toxic substances, atmospheric chemistry, and forensics.
Patent Number: US8626449B2
Application Number: US2009446130A
Inventor: Prather, Kimberly A. | Mayer, Joseph E.
Priority Date: 17 Oct 2006
Priority Number: US8626449B2
Application Date: 8 Dec 2010
Publication Date: 7 Jan 2014
IPC Current: G06F001900 | H01J004900
US Class: 702022 | 250281
Assignee Applicant: The Regents of the University of California
Title: Biological cell sorting and characterization using aerosol mass spectrometry
Usefulness: Biological cell sorting and characterization using aerosol mass spectrometry
Summary: The methods are useful for real-time classification of particles in a sample and for analyzing mass spectral data associated with the particles (all claimed). Specifically, the methods are useful for identifying various biological particles and sources including single cells and microorganisms and for aerosol characterization in the medical and industrial fields, e.g. dust-laden environments like mines.
Novelty: Computer implemented real-time classification of particles in a sample comprises analyzing signals from ion detectors derived from particles and computing list of m/z peaks to compare with library of known mass spectral fingerprints
Electronics
Computer System
8626449
State Of Development This technology is available for licensing. Tech ID/UC Case 20586/2006-104-0 Related Cases 2006-104-0
USA
