Patent ID: 6087183
Filing Date: 2000-07-11
Classification: G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
In apparatus for sampling an analyte from a gaseous medium, said analyte being in form of vapor or of liquid droplets or solid particulates, comprising a means for sampling a volume of said medium and collecting said analyte therefrom;a tube having a gas outlet end and a liquid drainage end; andmeans for wetting an inner part of the tube with an analyte-sorbing or -suspending liquid;the improvement comprising means for flowing the gaseous medium through an inlet opening and said liquid drainage end into the tube toward skid outlet end, over the liquid that is wetting said tube in direct contact therewith for trapping and preconcentrating the analyte in the sorbing or suspending liquid, and collecting from said drainage end an enriched liquid containing the preconcentrated analyte;wherein said liquid drainage end is directed towards a container means for holding draining or injected liquid; andwherein said inlet opening is so configured as to impart to the gaseous medium within said sampling means near said inlet a flow direction at a substantially acute angle that is that is at least partly opposite to that of the flow of the gaseous medium through said tube;said opening thus also forming part of said wetting means by causing at least partial impingement of said gaseous medium against the liquid that is held within said container means.