Portable compound trace detection device
View Patent ↗A detection device has a collector having an inlet to allow collection of a sample, an electrolysis chamber having at least two electrodes, the electrolysis chamber connected to the inlet to receive the sample, a spectrometry chamber connected to the electrolysis chamber by one or more channels, one or more emitters in the spectrometry chamber, one or more receivers in the spectrometry chamber, each receiver corresponding to an emitter of the one or more emitters, a controller to receive at least one signal from the one or more receivers and to provide a measurement, a display in communication with the controller to display the measurement, and a power supply electrically connected to at least the electrodes, the emitters, the receivers, the controller and the display. A method of detection of a compound in a sample includes drawing a sample into an electrolysis chamber, performing electrolysis on the sample, transferring the sample to a spectrometry chamber, illuminating the sample with light of a predetermined wavelength using an emitter, detecting light at a receiver corresponding to the emitter after the light passes through the sample, determining a concentration of a compound corresponding to the predetermined wavelength, and displaying the concentration of the one or more compounds on a display.
1 . A detection device, comprising:
a collector having an inlet to allow collection of a sample solution;
an electrolysis chamber having at least two electrodes positioned in the electrolysis chamber to contact the sample solution, the electrolysis chamber connected to the inlet to receive the sample solution and apply electrolysis to the sample solution to prepare the sample for spectrometry by separating the sample solution into one or more compounds and increase uniformity of the sample;
a spectrometry chamber connected to the electrolysis chamber by one or more channels;
one or more emitters in the spectrometry chamber;
one or more receivers in the spectrometry chamber, each receiver corresponding to an emitter of the one or more emitters;
a controller to activate the one or more emitters and receive at least one signal from the one or more receivers and to provide a measurement of the one or more compounds;
a display in communication with the controller to display the measurement; and
a power supply electrically connected to at least the electrodes, the emitters, the receivers, the controller and the display.
2 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a housing that encloses components of the device.
3 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising one or more filters in the electrolysis chamber.
4 . The device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the one or more filters comprise an inlet filter arranged at the inlet, and an outlet filter arranged between the electrolysis chamber and the spectrometry chamber.
5 . The device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the one or more filters and the at least two electrodes are arranged on a removable insert.
6 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a fluid housing arranged to enclose the electrolysis chamber and the spectrometry chamber.
7 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an electrical housing to enclose the controller.
8 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a printed circuit board upon which the controller is mounted and to which the emitters, receivers and power supplies are electrically connected.
9 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a power selection switch to control power between the power supply and the controller.
10 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an electrolysis switch to control power to the two or more electrodes in the electrolysis chamber.
11 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the collector comprises one of a syringe having a plunger configured that when the plunger is pulled, a sample enters the inlet, or a pump or motorized mechanism to pull the sample into the inlet.
12 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the one or more emitters has specific emission wavelengths to which the corresponding detector is sensitive.
13 . The device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the one or more emitters includes at least one emitter that emits light having wavelength of 520 nm, 615 nm, or 850 nm.
14 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises a microcontroller, a central processing unit, a field programmable gate array, or a digital signal processor.
15 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the controller further comprises at least one of an internal memory and access to a remote memory to which it can connect.
16 . The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the power supply comprises one of a direct current supply or an alternating current supply.
17 . A method of detection of a compound in a sample, comprising:
drawing a sample solution into an electrolysis chamber having at least two electrodes positioned to contact the sample solution;
performing electrolysis on the sample to prepare the sample for spectrometry, and separate the sample into one or more compounds, and increase uniformity of the sample;
transferring the sample to a spectrometry chamber;
illuminating the sample with light of a predetermined wavelength using an emitter;
detecting light at a receiver corresponding to the emitter after the light passes through the sample;
determining a concentration of a compound corresponding to the predetermined wavelength; and
displaying the concentration of the one or more compounds on a display.
18 . The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein determining the concentration of the one or more compounds comprises:
determining a transmittance intensity of light detected at the receiver;
using the transmittance intensity to find an absorbance intensity; and
finding a molarity of the compound in the sample using the absorbance intensity.
19 . The method as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the illuminating, detecting, and determining are performed for multiple emitters, each having a predetermined wavelength corresponding to a different compound.