A new integrated approach to field GC/MS for on-site analysis

There is a large amount of redundancy in commercially available standalone peripheral sampling devices especially with regard to the power supplies, controllers, and embedded intelligence. The integration of sampling control as well as the sampling/desorbing devices reduces the need for many cumbersome "external" sample handling methods. The integration of sampling and analysis strategies also provides a simpler portability profile for the overall system. In the design of portable analytical instrumentation, developers inevitably confront tradeoffs between overall system performance and the issues of size, weight, power requirements, and cost. It is clear that to a limited degree most field chemists will compromise size, weight, power requirements, and cost before they compromise performance. As we develop smaller and lighter systems, it is our intent to provide an instrumentation platform that is adaptable and upgradable, allowing the customer a choice of system compromises.