Patent Application
20140104597
This disclosure relates to spectroscopy instruments that are known and used for identifying the sample matter. Mass spectrometry and Raman spectrometry are examples of spectroscopic techniques. Mass spectrometry utilizes a mass-to-charge ratio of vaporized sample matter to determine elemental composition. Raman spectrometry uses vibrational, rotational or other frequency modes in sample matter and Raman scattering of light to identify composition.
Disclosed is a dual-spectroscopy detection apparatus that includes a mass spectrometer, a sample collection system connected to the mass spectrometer and a Raman spectrometer that is operatively coupled with the sample collection system
Also disclosed is a method for dual-spectroscopy. The method includes introducing a sample into a sample collection system, collecting Raman spectrometer data from the sample at a location in the sample collection system, transporting the sample from the sample collection system into a mass spectrometer and collecting spectrometer data from the sample in the mass spectrometer.
The various features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows.
As can be appreciated, individual instruments that contain hardware and software related to a single spectroscopic technique are common in the analysis and identification of compositions. However, each spectroscopic technique has drawbacks that make detection of a wide variety of compositions or mixtures difficult. The dual-spectroscopy detection apparatus 20 operatively combines two different spectroscopy instruments into a single instrument and thus enhances detection and identification of compositions that may contain chemical matter, biological matter and mixtures thereof.
As shown in
In operation, the apparatus can be air-breathing and may periodically or continually intake surrounding air for analysis. A sample S from the air is conveyed through the sample collection system 24. The light L interacts with the sample S to generate Raman spectrometry data. The sample S is then conveyed into the mass spectrometer 22, where mass spectrometry data is collected. The mass spectrometer 22 and the Raman spectrometer 26 can be connected with a processing device in a known manner, such as a computerized device having hardware, software, or both, for collecting and analyzing the data. The apparatus 20 thus provides the ability to analyze a sample S using two different spectrometry techniques.
In this example, the apparatus 120 includes a mass spectrometer 122, a sample collection system 124 and a Raman spectrometer 126. The sample collection system 124 includes a capillary 128 and a pyrotube 130 with a heater coil 132. The heater coil 132 may be used to pyrolize the sample S to vapor. The capillary 128 can be a hollow fiber, and may or may not be free of internal coatings/packings that are normally used in chromatography with mass spectrometry. A sample bio-concentrator 134 is provided near the pyrotube 130 and serves to collect and concentrate biological sample matter into the pyrotube 130. A chemical collector 136 can be provided for collecting and providing chemical sample matter into the capillary 128. As shown in some arrangements herein, the Raman spectrometer 126 is operatively connected with the capillary 128. In other alternative arrangements, the Raman spectrometer 126 is operatively connected with the pyrotube 130. Also, the Raman spectrometer 126 includes a laser light source 126a and an analysis portion 126b, as will be described in more detail with reference to
In a further example of the method 80, the sample S can be analyzed either prior to, during, or after pyrolysis of the sample S in the pyrotube 130 using the heater coil 132. That is, the Raman spectroscopy data can be collected prior to heating the sample S, during pyrolysis, or after vaporizing the sample S using the heater coil 132. In another alternative, the sample S can be analyzed both before and after vaporization.
The spectroscopy data collected from the mass spectrometer 22/122 and the Raman spectrometer 26/126 can then be analyzed and compared to determine whether a targeted composition exists or not. For example, the mass spectrometer 22/122 is suited for detecting and identifying non-biological molecules, but can generate false positive or negative indications for the presence of biological molecules or organisms. However, when coupled with the functionality of the Raman spectrometer 26/126, the data from the two spectrometers can be compared to thereby reduce the number of false positive or negative indications that would otherwise be generated if only one spectrometer was used. In this case, since Raman spectrometry is suited for the detection and identification of biological molecules or organisms, the Raman spectroscopy data can be used to independently verify the spectrometry data from the mass spectrometer 22/122 with respect to the positive or negative identification of such molecules or organisms. Thus, the examples herein provide for enhanced detection of non-biological molecules using the mass spectrometer 22/122 and biological molecules or organisms using the Raman spectrometer 26/126.
Although a combination of features is shown in the illustrated examples, not all of them need to be combined to realize the benefits of various embodiments of this disclosure. In other words, a system designed according to an embodiment of this disclosure will not necessarily include all of the features shown in any one of the Figures or all of the portions schematically shown in the Figures. Moreover, selected features of one example embodiment may be combined with selected features of other example embodiments.
The preceding description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed examples may become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not necessarily depart from the essence of this disclosure. The scope of legal protection given to this disclosure can only be determined by studying the following claims.
