Desktop system developed as a next generation unit capable of very sensitive detection with false positives greatly reduced
Sionex reports that its MicroDMx sensor system has been incorporated into the Thermo Electron's next generation explosives detection product.
The new Thermo Egis Defender is based on high-speed gas chromatography (HSGC) technology coupled with Sionex's MicroDMx sensor system.
The result is a system capable of very sensitive detection of explosives with false positives greatly reduced.
This capability enables the Egis Defender to simultaneously detect plastic, commercial and military explosives, TATP, HMTD, and enhanced An-Fo.
The system can also detect the International Civil Aviation Organisation (Icao) marker compounds plus narcotics with a high degree of sensitivity.
The new explosives detector was launched at the Aviation Security World 2004 (Avsec) meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia.
"Sionex and Thermo previously entered into an exclusive agreement in June 2004 where Sionex would develop and produce its MicroDMx sensor system for trace explosives detection which would be incorporated into the new Thermo desktop system," said Anthony Bashall, Sionex's VP of marketing and business development.
"We have been diligently working together to optimise the MicroDMx sensor system for this application and are excited to see this groundbreaking product be released by Thermo".
"The Thermo relationship and product launch are very important to Sionex as we continue bringing our MicroDMx sensor systems to market in end-user products" said Wes Davis, president and CEO of Sionex. Conceived at the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory and exclusively licensed to Sionex for commercialisation, the MicroDMx sensor is a chip-based microfabricated technology capable of detecting a wide variety of chemical and biological compounds with great sensitivity and selectivity.
Sionex is currently working with a number of companies and collaborators to incorporate its MicroDMx sensors into a wide variety of devices for the detection of chemical and biological warfare agents, and toxic industrial compounds.
