Patent ID: 7019655

Claim:
A system for detecting harmful agents within the contents of mail, the system comprising: a plurality of pieces of mail processing equipment positioned within a mail processing facility, at least one of the plurality of pieces of mail processing equipment also being positioned to individually separate and contact a plurality of pieces of mail as the plurality of pieces of mail pass through the at least one of the plurality of pieces of mail processing equipment at a relatively high rate of speed; at least one harmful agent sensor positioned adjacent the at least one of the plurality of pieces of mail processing equipment to sense the presence of a harmful agent in the plurality of pieces of mail as the plurality of pieces of mail are processed by the at least one of the plurality of pieces of mail processing equipment, the at least one harmful agent sensor comprising an olfactory device positioned to sense the presence of a harmful agent within the mail; at least one system processor in communication with the olfactory device to process data received from the olfactory device; and at least one alarm indicator responsive to the at least one system processor to indicate that the olfactory device has sensed the presence of a harmful agent.