Patent ID: 8383048

Claim:
A device for detecting gaseous mercury, the device comprising: a supporting substrate; at least one sensing layer disposed on the supporting substrate, wherein the at least one sensing layer absorbs molecules of gaseous mercury and at least one other gaseous chemical species; at least one controllable thermal device in communication with the at least one sensing layer, wherein the at least one controllable thermal device is configured to heat the at least one sensing layer to a release temperature of the gaseous mercury; at least one detecting and measuring resistance device in communication with the at least one sensing layer, wherein the at least one detecting and measuring resistance device is configured to produce resistance data that includes at least a first measure of resistance within the at least one sensing layer and a second measure of resistance within the at least one sensing layer; and a processor in communication with the at least one detecting and measuring resistance device and configured to receive the resistance data from the at least one detecting and measuring resistance device, wherein the processor is further configured to distinguish between the gaseous mercury and the at least one other gaseous chemical species based upon at least the first measure of resistance and the second measure of resistance within the at least one sensing layer.