The InfrAegis, Inc. (Ia) Computer-Aided Trace Detection System (CATD) extracts air from cargo containers, cars, trucks, ships, buses, ferries, boats, and buildings to determine whether weapons of mass destruction, explosives, firearms, opiates, vehicle-smuggled humans, or other contraband materials are present. The CATD uses mass spectral analysis, ionization technology, and gas chromatography, a highly effective process for identifying target substances of interest.
Mass spectroscopy identifies and quantifies the specific substances on the basis of information from the reference computer. The CATD reference table is preconfigured to detect those chemicals, explosives, weapons, and contraband materials of most interest to a specific user. The efficacy of the process is such that sophisticated detection analysis can be performed quickly. An identified cargo container can normally be screened in 60 to 90 seconds, offering effective detection with minimal disruption to port or other facility operations.
For redundancy, the system utilizes individual commercial detectors specifically designed for explosives, chemicals, and drugs. An automated, user-defined standard operating procedure provides information on material handling, personal protective equipment requirements, and necessary corrective actions.
In addition, Ia's Global Operations Monitoring and Analysis Center (GOMAC) provides continuous professional monitoring services, maintenance and technical assistance, and quality control assurances. GOMAC is designed to monitor, record, analyze, alert, and enact automatic preapproved electronic countermeasures when a threat is detected. The center contains sophisticated automated notification systems and confirms the proper functioning of each deployed detector.
The CATD Process
Filters
The intake air is filtered by a cyclonic filter to remove dust and particulates from the sample. The air is passed through a Teflon filter with a pore size of 0.4 micron.
Preconcentration
The filtered air flows past an absorptive resin to concentrate the chemicals.
Gas Chromatography
The gas chromatograph takes the preconcentrated sample and separates the chemicals before injecting them into the mass spectroscopy chamber.
Mass Spectral Analysis
The mass spectral analyzer ionizes the chemicals into functional groups and measures the mass of each functional group.
Computer Readout
The computer matches the functional groups identified by the mass spectral analysis with a parent chemical using a National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) database and provides the user with the results.