Patent ID: 7105135

Claim:
A system for detecting of hazardous materials on a mail piece, said system comprising: means for transporting the mail piece; means for sensing location and size of the mail piece; means for depositing at least one sensitizing agent on a desired loci of locations on a the surface of the mail piece while the mail piece is being transported; means for sensing, while the mail piece is being transported, said at least one sensitizing agent after being deposited on the surface of the mail piece to determine whether hazardous material is located on the surface of the mail piece; means for adjusting travel time of said mail piece within a predetermined travel time, said predetermined travel time being equal to or greater than an activation latency time for said deposited sensitizing agent on the mail piece prior to reaching said sensing means for said sensitizing agent; and means for analyzing results of said sensing; wherein a change in a property of said sensitizing agent is indicative of the presence of hazardous materials.