In an example, a sample collection apparatus to collect sample from a detection subject includes a circumferential ring tubing surrounding an interior and configured to be moved between bottom ring tubing position and top ring tubing position. The circumferential ring tubing includes air nozzles along a circumferential length of the ring tubing to direct air flow toward the interior as the ring tubing is moved from the top ring tubing position to the bottom ring tubing position, to blow air toward the detection subject in a sample collection zone in the interior and to push a sample of the detection subject via an air flow toward a platform on which the detection subject is positioned. The sample includes particles and/or vapor of the detection subject. A receptacle is disposed below the platform to collect the sample carried by the air flow through collection openings of the platform to the receptacle.

Disclosed are a multimethod ionization device (MID) to utilize at least chemical ionization and a system further utilizing such a device provided with a reaction chamber for ion formation of reagent species for adduct formation from at least one analyte to be characterized as based on mass to charge ratio for the analyte identification.

Disclosed are a multimethod ionization device (MID) to utilize at least chemical ionization and a system further utilizing such a device provided with a reaction chamber for ion formation of reagent species for adduct formation from at least one analyte to be characterized as based on mass to charge ratio for the analyte identification.

The present invention discloses a wiping-type sample sampling and feeding device, a card reading apparatus, and a gate machine apparatus. The wiping-type sample sampling and feeding device comprises a thermally desorbing portion for analyzing a substance; a wiping-type sampling portion for wiping the substance on a card or certificate and includes a first wheel, a second wheel and a wiping conveyor belt that travels between the first and second wheels along a first direction; and a card/certificate conveyor portion including a card carrying belt configured to convey a card or certificate along a second direction so that the card or certificate can contact with the wiping conveyor belt during conveyance of the card or certificate, thereby the wiping conveyor belt wipes a surface of the card or certificate, wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

A trace analyte collection swab having a collection surface at least partially coated with a microscopically tacky substance to enhance pick-up efficiency is described. In embodiments, the truce analyte collection swab comprises a substrate including a surface having a trace analyte collection area and a coating disposed on the surface of the substrate in the trace analyte collection area. The coating is configured to be microscopically adhesive to collect particles of the trace analyte from a surface when the trace analyte collection area is placed against the surface. In one embodiment, the coating comprises Polyisobutylene.

A unique fiber core sampler composition, related systems, and techniques for designing, making, and using the same are described. The sampler is used to interface with existing field instrumentation, such as Ion Mobility Spectrometer (IMS) equipment. Desired sampler characteristics include its: stiffness/flexibility; thermal mass and conductivity; specific heat; trace substance collection/release dependability, sensitivity and repeatability; thickness; reusability; durability; stability for thermal cleaning; and the like. In one form the sampler has a glass fiber core with a thickness less than 0.3 millimeter that is coated with a polymer including one or more of: polymeric organofluorine, polyimide, polyamide, PolyBenzlmidazole (PBI), PolyDiMethylSiloxane (PDMS), sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene (PFSA) and Poly(2,6-diphenyl-p-phenylene Oxide) (PPPO). Multiple polymer coatings with the same or different polymer types may be included, core/substrate surface functionalization utilized, and/or the core/substrate may be at partially filled with thermally conductive particles.

Disclosed is a system for screening of traces of illicit substances that may be harmful, such as explosives, radioactive substances, toxics or drugs for example, from very tiny trace concentrations to be detected by way of mass spectrometry being applied to the detached and pre-concentrated particulate matter by the system. Also disclosed is a method in accordance of the system, an arrangement or device as a system element of the system, and a software code on computer readable medium, to control the system and/or acquire data from the system.

A trace analyte collection swab having a collection surface at least partially coated with a microscopically tacky substance to enhance pick-up efficiency is described. In embodiments, the trace analyte collection swab comprises a substrate including a surface having a trace analyte collection area and a coating disposed on the surface of the substrate in the trace analyte collection area. The coating is configured to be microscopically adhesive to collect particles of the trace analyte from a surface when the trace analyte collection area is placed against the surface. In one embodiment, the coating comprises Polyisobutylene.

A unique fiber core sampler composition, related systems, and techniques for designing, making, and using the same are described. The sampler is used to interface with existing field instrumentation, such as Ion Mobility Spectrometer (IMS) equipment. Desired sampler characteristics include its: stiffness/flexibility; thermal mass and conductivity; specific heat; trace substance collection/release dependability, sensitivity and repeatability; thickness; reusability; durability; stability for thermal cleaning; and the like. In one form the sampler has a glass fiber core with a thickness less than 0.3 millimeter that is coated with a polymer including one or more of: polymeric organofluorine, polyimide, polyamide, PolyBenzImidazole (PBI), PolyDiMethylSiloxane (PDMS), sulfonated tetrafluoroethylene (PFSA) and Poly(2,6-diphenyl-p-phenylene Oxide) (PPPO). Multiple polymer coatings with the same or different polymer types may be included, core/substrate surface functionalization utilized, and/or the core/substrate may be at partially filled with thermally conductive particles.

In some aspects, the disclosure is directed methods and systems for screening an unconstrained subject. A plurality of transmitters may be spatially distributed on two sides along a path of movement of a subject. Each of the transmitters may transmit, in sequence, radiation to be scattered from the subject. A plurality of sensors may be spatially distributed on the two sides and coherently configured with respect to the plurality of transmitters. The plurality of sensors may collect measurements of scattered radiation corresponding to the radiation transmitted by each of the plurality of transmitters. An imaging module may generate, based on the collected measurements, a two-dimensional or three-dimensional reconstruction estimate of body surface of the subject with one or more attached foreign objects.