Patent ID: 7841226
Filing Date: 2010-11-30
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for detecting the presence of a volatile or semi-volatile chemical in a sample of gas during a test using insects, the apparatus comprising: a holding tray, comprising a yoke for each insect, wherein at least two insects are restrained in said yokes and wherein said yokes are fixed to a base of said holding tray in a predetermined arrangement; a housing, having a means for removably inserting said holding tray into a chamber of said housing and having a means for causing movement of said sample of gas through the housing in a predetermined direction, wherein said housing has a first channel and a second channel with said first channel placed upstream of the chamber and said second channel placed downstream of the chamber relative to the direction of movement of said sample of gas, wherein a width of said first channel and said second channel is approximately the width of said predetermined arrangement of the insects in said chamber, and wherein the flow of said sample of gas is common to each of the insects due to said first channel being undivided; means for monitoring the insects, to observe a specific behavior by the insects in response to the insect detecting the presence of the volatile or semi-volatile chemical in said sample of gas; means for outputting the detection of the volatile or semi-volatile chemical in a sample of gas by the insects; and a power source.