Patent ID: 8784737

Claim:
A chemical pre-concentrator for increasing the concentration of an analyte comprising: a conduit having an interior defining a flow path between a first end and a second end of the conduit; a heating element consisting of an electrical conductor with a sorbent material directly coated on at least a portion of a surface of the electrical conductor, wherein the heating element is disposed within the interior of the conduit; a first fitting component coupled to the first end of the conduit, the first fitting component having a first opening for the flow path into the conduit and having a first electrical lead extending through the first fitting component that is electrically connected to a first end of the heating element; and a second fitting component coupled to the second end of the conduit, the second fitting component having a second opening for the flow path into the conduit and having a second electrical lead extending through the second fitting component that is electrically connected to a second end of the heating element, wherein the flow path extends along a path through the first opening, through the conduit, and through the second opening, and wherein the first and second fitting components are configured to allow evacuation of the conduit, such that, during an evacuation, the flow path between the first and second ends of the conduit is evacuated.