Patent ID: 6397658
Filing Date: 2002-06-04
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
Method for measuring volatile substances in a global manner, without prior separation of the different compounds, which comprises:placing a sample to be analyzed in a container with a head space over the sample in the container so that volatile substances are produced in the head space from the sample; collecting the volatile substances produced in the head space after an equilibration time on a means for collecting the volatile substances which includes adsorption on at least one adsorbent surface introduced into the head space, wherein the means for collecting the volatile substances is based on at least one SPME (Solid Phase Micro Extraction system) and includes an injector with a septum; removing said adsorbent surface from the head space and transporting the adsorbent surface with collected substances into a desorption system and transferring said collected substances to a detector by one of desorbing said collected substances directly in said detector, and desorbing and conveying said collected substances by means of an inert gas through a capillary tube, wherein said detector detects the volatile substances and produces at least one signal therefrom; obtaining at least one of a mathematical and statistical analysis of the signal obtained, wherein the analysis is reproducible and correlates with a sensory analysis.