US 11,733,217 B1
Methods and systems for opioid detection
Matthew W. Moorman, Albuquerque, NM (US); Joshua J. Whiting, Albuquerque, NM (US); and Curtis D. Mowry, Albuquerque, NM (US)
Assigned to National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, Albuquerque, NM (US)
Filed by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, Albuquerque, NM (US)
Filed on Aug. 4, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/984,923.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/905,871, filed on Sep. 25, 2019.
Int. Cl. G01N 30/60 (2006.01); G01N 30/76 (2006.01); G01N 30/06 (2006.01); G01N 27/622 (2021.01); B01J 20/281 (2006.01); G01N 30/00 (2006.01); G01N 30/02 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 30/6095 (2013.01) [G01N 27/622 (2013.01); G01N 30/06 (2013.01); G01N 30/482 (2013.01); G01N 30/76 (2013.01); G01N 2030/025 (2013.01); G01N 2030/484 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of detecting an opioid compound comprising:
capturing an opioid compound on a metal mesh comprising a surface area for chemical capture, wherein the metal mesh is provided in a front-end;
thermally decomposing the captured material on the metal mesh at an elevated temperature of from about 500° C. to about 900° C. to produce a plurality of backbone fragments indicative of a compound being in an opioid class;
further thermally decomposing the plurality of backbone fragments at a further elevated temperature greater than said elevated temperature to produce a plurality of secondary fragments indicative of a structure of the compound;
capturing and separating the plurality of backbone fragments and secondary fragments in a micro gas chromatograph comprising a micro gas chromatograph column and a stationary phase disposed on a surface of the micro gas chromatograph column, wherein the stationary phase is configured to interact with the plurality of backbone fragments and secondary fragments; and
eluting the plurality of backbone fragments and secondary fragments from the micro gas chromatograph column to a micro detector, wherein the micro detector is configured to detect the presence of the plurality of backbone fragments and secondary fragments.