Patent ID: 8555732

Claim:
A substance detection device, comprising: a chemical substance analyzer, including: an ion mobility spectrometer (IMS); a conduit; and a membrane, wherein the membrane extends across a cross-section of the conduit, wherein the membrane is positioned to have one side and an analysis side opposite the one side, wherein the substance detection device is adapted to direct a portion of a chemical substance to the one side through the conduit so that at least a portion of the chemical substance is transferred to the membrane by interacting with the one side of the membrane, wherein the membrane is adapted to diffuse at least a portion of the chemical substance transferred to the membrane through the membrane to the analysis side; and a particle separation apparatus, including: a particle collection device having a collection chamber containing a first fluid and including an outlet, wherein the first fluid is a sample fluid containing particles collected by the particle collection device; a first fluid distribution system adapted to direct the first fluid from the particle collection device through the outlet to flow along a first flow path in a first flow direction; and a detector adapted to detect a change in a flow rate of the first fluid directed in the first flow direction indicative of a blockage at the first flow path, wherein the apparatus is adapted to automatically direct an unblocking fluid to flow along the first flow path in a second flow direction opposite the first flow direction upon the detection of the change in the flow rate indicative of a blockage at the first flow path to remove the blockage at the first flow path, and wherein the outlet is in fluid communication with the conduit such that particles directed through the outlet travel through the conduit and chemical substances which may be on those particles directed through the outlet are transferred to the membrane by interacting with the one side of the membrane.