An ion molecule reactor for generating analyte ions from analytes comprises: a) a reaction volume in which reagent ions can interact with the analytes in order to form analyte ions; b) at least one analyte inlet for introducing the analytes along an inlet path into the reaction volume whereby, preferably, the inlet path runs essentially along at least a first section of the predefined transit path in the reaction volume; c) at least one reagent ion source and/or at least one reagent ion inlet for providing reagent ions into the reaction volume; d) optionally, at least one ion guide comprising an electrode arrangement which is configured for producing an alternating electrical, magnetic and/or electromagnetic field, that allows for guiding the reagent ions and/or the analyte ions at least along a section of the predefined transit path, preferably along the whole transit path, through the reaction volume. There is also provided a sampler comprising one or more chambers, wherein each chamber is configured for receiving an individual sample and comprises an inlet and an outlet, such that a gaseous fluid flow can pass through each of the chambers.

The present invention provides methods of diagnosing cancer in a test subject, comprising exposing an array of chemically sensitive sensors comprising a material selected from the group consisting of conductive nanostructures coated with an organic coating, a conducting polymer and a conductive polymer composite, to a blood sample and a urine sample obtained from the test subject, and analyzing output signals of the chemically sensitive sensors upon exposure of the array to the blood sample and the urine sample. The array of the chemically sensitive sensors can be a part of a portable medical device. Further provided is a method of diagnosing cancer in a test subject, comprising measuring and analyzing levels of a set of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in a blood sample and a urine sample obtained from the test subject.

The present invention relates to an apparatus (1) for sampling the headspace, comprising: a mobile station (2) provided with a plurality of housing seats (21) to house a plurality of containers (100) for sampling the headspace; an oven (3); a blocking device (4) comprising at least one first mobile element (41) that moves between a first position adapted to prevent a container (100) from passing from the mobile station (2) to the oven (3), and a second position adapted to allow a container (100) to pass from the mobile station (2) to the oven (3); at least one first sensor (5a) placed upstream of the first mobile element (41), to detect the presence of a container (100) in a housing seat (21); a movement element (6) moving between said mobile station (2) and the oven (3), the movement element being configured to move a container (100) from the mobile station (2) to the oven (3).

A sample extraction device and a desorption device for use in gas chromatography (GC), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS), liquid chromatography (LC), and/or liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS) are disclosed. In some examples, the sample extraction device includes a lower chamber holding a sorbent. The sample extraction device can extract sample headspace gas from a sample vial by placing the sorbent inside the vial and creating a vacuum to increase recovery of low volatility compounds, for example. Once the sample has been collected, the sample extraction device can be inserted into a desorption device. The desorption device can control the flow of a carrier fluid (e.g., a liquid or a gas) through the sorbent containing the sample and into a pre-column and/or a primary column of a chemical analysis device for performing GC, GCMS, LC, LCMS, and/or some other chemical analysis process.

Absorbent materials configured to sequester trimethylamine (TMA), absorbent articles made therefrom, related methods of use, methods of measuring a reduction of free TMA, and related methods of making absorbent articles are described.

The present invention provides a method for determining hydrogen sulfide (H.sub.2S) by headspace single-drop liquid phase microextraction and intelligent device colorimetry, which comprises: taking a silver-gold core-shell triangular nanosheet (Ag@Au TNS) as a nanodetection probe, in combination with an analysis method of headspace single-drop microextraction (HS-SDME), specifically extracting H.sub.2S volatilized from a sample to be detected by the nanodetection probe, and detecting H.sub.2S in the extracted sample with the help of the photographing function of an intelligent device and a color picking software. Compared with the prior art, the present invention adopts intelligent device colorimetry, with the limit of detection of about 65 nM and the linear range of 0.1-100 ?M, and the established method can be applied to the determination of H.sub.2S in actual samples such as egg white, milk and other opaque samples, and has the advantages of few procedures, simple operation, high detection efficiency and the like.

Process for sampling the headspace, comprising the steps of: (i) preparing a container (1) containing a substance in the liquid phase (2), a substance in the gaseous phase (3), a substance to be analyzed (4) initially at least partially contained in the substance in the liquid phase (2), wherein the substance in the liquid phase (2) has a contact surface (S) contacting the substance in the gaseous phase; (ii) constraining said container (1) to a supporting element (10) rotatable around a rotation axis (A1); (iii) rotating said supporting element (10) at such an angular velocity to tilt said contact surface (S) by an angle (a) of at least 20 degrees with respect to a plane (H) parallel to the bearing surface of the supporting element (10); (iv) stopping the rotation of said supporting element (10); (v) collecting a sample of the substance to be analyzed, in the gaseous phase.

The invention relates to a device and a method for cancer detection and screening, based on analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds emitted by certain cancerous tumors. The device and method provide high sensitivity and specificity analyses. The sample to be analysed may be e.g. blood or blood plasma. In one aspect, the invention is directed towards detection of or screening for gynaecological cancers, e.g. ovarian cancer. Particularly, the device comprises the following parts: a sample holder for a fluid or solid body sample; an air inlet; a detector tube comprising 44-164 sensors; optionally an individual potentiometer connected to each sensor of the detector tube; an analogue to digital signal converter; four control cards; a computer-based program for the registration and statistical calculation of results; and an electricity source.

An apparatus and a method monitor fluid loss from one or more casks during a maturation process. The apparatus comprises a multi-pass absorption cell arranged in fluid communication with one or more fluid conduits, a pump and a monitoring system. The pump and fluid conduits transport a fluid sample (e.g. vapor sample) from a perimeter of the one or more casks to the multi-pass absorption cell. The monitoring system detects and identifies fluid within the multi-pass absorption cell.

The present invention provides a method for measuring moisture content in a separator of secondary battery by using a gas chromatograph equipped with a headspace sampler. The separator of secondary battery may be a safety reinforced separator (SRS) in which inorganic substance particles and a binder polymer are coated on a polyolefin substrate.