Methods and systems for chemical analysis. For instance, a device for chemical analysis of a sample includes a housing, an inlet, a pump, multiple membranes and at least one detector. The housing contains an interior chamber of the device. The inlet on the housing introduces the sample into the interior chamber. The pump is connected to the housing to form a partial vacuum in the interior chamber. The multiple membranes have different response times to different constituents of the sample. The multiple membranes include at least a first membrane and a second membrane. The multiple membranes have different response times to different constituents of the sample. The detector is for detecting the different constituents of the sample after interaction with the multiple membranes. In addition, a method for chemical analysis of a sample. A first step includes introducing a sample to multiple membranes having different response times to different constituents of the sample. A second step includes separating the different constituents of the sample due to the different response times of the multiple membranes. A third step includes detecting the different constituents of the gas after separating with the multiple membranes.

A column-sealing tool is provided for use during decoupling of a capillary column from a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) system. The column-sealing tool includes an engagement structure for removably securing the column-sealing tool within a high vacuum enclosure of the GC-MS system, at a location between a high vacuum end of a transfer line and a mass analyzer of the GC-MS system. Additionally, the column-sealing tool includes a sealing element that is actuatable between a non-sealing position and a sealing position. During use the sealing element forms a secondary vacuum seal with the first end of the transfer line when the column-sealing tool is inserted into the GC-MS system and when the sealing element is in the sealing position.

A gas collection and analysis system for detecting microbiomes is described. The system includes a waste disposal site, a sorbent cartridge coupled adjacent to the waste disposal site, wherein the sorbent cartridge includes a sorbent media configured to absorb a gas sample from within the waste disposal site, a sorbent heating block configured to heat the sorbent cartridge and release the gas sample absorbed by the sorbent media, and a pumping system coupling the sorbent cartridge to an ionized gas analyzer mass spectrometer, the pumping system configured to direct the flow of the released gas sample from the sorbent media to the gas analyzer mass spectrometer for chemical analysis. Methods for detecting microbiomes of a user are also described herein.

A gas collection and analysis system for detecting microbiomes is described. The system includes a waste disposal site, a sorbent cartridge coupled adjacent to the waste disposal site, wherein the sorbent cartridge includes a sorbent media configured to absorb a gas sample from within the waste disposal site, a sorbent heating block configured to heat the sorbent cartridge and release the gas sample absorbed by the sorbent media, and a pumping system coupling the sorbent cartridge to an ionized gas analyzer mass spectrometer, the pumping system configured to direct the flow of the released gas sample from the sorbent media to the gas analyzer mass spectrometer for chemical analysis. Methods for detecting microbiomes of a user are also described herein.

Methods and systems for chemical analysis. For instance, a device for chemical analysis of a sample includes a housing, an inlet, a pump, multiple membranes and at least one detector. The housing contains an interior chamber of the device. The inlet on the housing introduces the sample into the interior chamber. The pump is connected to the housing to form a partial vacuum in the interior chamber. The multiple membranes have different response times to different constituents of the sample. The multiple membranes include at least a first membrane and a second membrane. At least one of the first membrane and the second membrane comprises a tubular portion. The multiple membranes have different response times to different constituents of the sample. The detector is for detecting the different constituents of the sample after interaction with the multiple membranes. In addition, a method for chemical analysis of a sample. A first step includes introducing a sample to multiple membranes having different response times to different constituents of the sample. A second step includes separating the different constituents of the sample due to the different response times of the multiple membranes. A third step includes detecting the different constituents of the gas after separating with the multiple membranes.

A portable system 1 for analyzing gaseous flows that vary over time is described, the system comprising a sampling chamber 18, a gas sampling module 7, an ion filtering module 8 and an ion detecting module 9. The gas sampling module 7 is configured to adjust an input gaseous flow Fi of gas particles from the sampling chamber 18, ionize said gas particles and to emit the produced ions, so as to generate an ion flow I. The ion filtering module 8 is configured to controllably select at least one type of ion present in the ion flow I and to generate a corresponding at least one homogeneous ion beam I, having an intensity representative of the concentration of the corresponding gas particle in the gaseous composition to be analyzed. The ion detecting module 9 is configured to measure the intensity of the at least one ion beam I.

An ion transfer system includes an ion source coupled to an ion inlet; an ion transfer tube assembly including a concentric ion transfer tube with a porous material that is permeable to a gas, the concentric ion transfer tube coupled to the ion inlet and the ion source, where a first gas that includes an ion stream flows through the concentric ion transfer tube; and a concentric gas tube, the concentric ion transfer tube disposed within the concentric gas tube, where a second gas flows between the concentric ion transfer tube and the concentric gas tube; an ion detection device coupled to a capillary tube that is coupled to the concentric ion transfer tube, where the capillary tube transports the ion stream to the ion detection device; and a pump coupled to at least one of the concentric ion transfer tube or the concentric gas tube.

An apparatus and method to capture aerosols and vapors on substrates from a large variety of sources and matrices for analysis using paper spray mass spectrometry (PS-MS) is disclosed. A holder for a PS cartridge has better direct sampling efficiency, direct capture on substrate, and lower limits of detection thereby improving the collection and analysis of aerosols and vapors. An apparatus and method for aerosol and vapor collection, from both anthropogenic and environmental sources, for example, that is compact and compatible with hand held devices and unmanned vehicles is also disclosed.

Systems and methods for use in introducing samples to an analytical instrument. The systems and methods are adaptable to process either a liquid sample or a gaseous sample, including samples containing particle contaminants, for subsequent analysis using an analytical instrument.

Systems and methods for measuring analytes (e.g., potassium) under hot plasma conditions of ICP analysis systems (e.g., ICP-MS, ICP-AES, etc.) are described, where a membrane desolvation unit and nitrogen flow gas are included to reduce Argon interferences. A system embodiment includes a heated spray chamber configured to receive a liquid sample and a sample gas to aerosolize the liquid sample; a first condenser coupled to the heated spray chamber; a second condenser coupled to the first condenser; a heated membrane coupled to the second condenser; and a gas introduction component coupled to the heated membrane to receive a flow of gas and to combine the flow of gas with a dried sample aerosol leaving the heated membrane, wherein the flow of gas is introduced at a rate of approximately 2.67 percent to approximately 20 percent of a flow rate of the sample gas.