In addition to the primary application for in-situ solid sample analysis, the proposed technology may be used for: 1) Atmospheric Chemical Analysis: The MADIE can be retrofitted to miniature mass spectrometers for atmospheric measurements without the laser module; 2) Biological Sample Analysis in Reduced Pressure: The MADIE can be used to for imaging of biological tissues that are placed in low-pressure chamber with a variety of plasma gases, 3) Air Quality Monitoring During Manned Missions: The proposed technology may be used as an ambient ionization source that can be deployed with on-board mass spectrometers for air quality monitoring; 4) Breath Analysis: The technology may be utilized with miniature mass spectrometers for performing breath analysis; 5) Optical Emission Spectroscopy: The MADIE can be used in combination with optical emission spectroscopy systems to study the emission spectra of various gaseous molecules; and 5) Plasma Treatment: The proposed technology may provide an efficient sterilization method that can be used on a robotic arm to treat small desired surfaces, for example, for sterilization or changing surface chemistry.
The proposed technology may be utilized in a wide range of government and industrial applications. 1) Government Applications: Instruments for fast, real-time and accurate sample analysis has widespread applications in many U.S. government programs. For example, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Transportation, Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Defense (DOD) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) all need field deployable systems for fast and accurate detection of explosives, drug molecules, pesticides, toxics chemicals and atmospheric species. 2) Industrial Applications: The proposed technology may be used in various industrial application as a reduced-pressure sample interrogation platform when combined with a mass spectrometer. For example, pharmaceutical and food industries need instruments for quality/contamination control.
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