Granted U.S. Patent for fast, highly sensitive chemical analysis without sample preparation

Austin, TX

1st Detect Corporation, a subsidiary of Astrotech Corporation (NASDAQ: ASTC), announced the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued a key patent for increasing the performance of the company’s unique ion trap mass spectrometer used for chemical analysis and detection. 1st Detect’s total patent count is now 17 U.S. and 6 international issued, and 7 U.S. and 10 international pending.

“This patented technology enables 1st Detect to analyze without sample preparation at high levels of sensitivity and speed, and opens new markets,” said Thomas B. Pickens III, CEO of 1st Detect. “Some potential applications include breath analysis, explosives detection, chemical warfare agent detection and detection of various trace impurities in a sample.”

U.S. Patent No. 9,451,364, entitled ‘Preconcentrating a Sample in a Preconcentrator Evacuated to