Explosives Detection Security Portal

     The Syagen Guardian^® Explosives Trace Detection (ETD) Portal is the most accurate and non-intrusive portal available today. The Guardian^® was developed in a collaboration involving Syagen, the leader in explosives detection mass spectrometry (MS) analyzers, and Sandia National Laboratories, the developers of the most advanced portal and preconcentration technologies. The Guardian^® provides unmatched performance. The exceptional sensitivity and specificity accounts for the lowest false negative and false positive rates and for the largest number of detectable explosives compounds.

     The Guardian^® offers containment without confinement. The clear doors and light, airy interior provide a comfortable environment for individuals. The doors offer the option for added security by controlling people from passing through until an analysis is complete. The doors also simplify the air flow inside the portal permitting a gentle rush of air to dislodge particles on people.
 

     The key performance advantage of the Guardian^® over other portals is the use of MS versus the much lower resolution method of ion mobility spectrometry (IMS). A recent report by the National Academy of Sciences noted that MS has a resolving power that is 10-10,000x greater than IMS and recommended making MS the core technology for explosives detection for aviation security [National Research Council, “Opportunities to Improve Airport Passenger Screening with Mass Spectrometry,” National Academies Press, Washington DC, 2003]. Many analyzers, including IMS, can detect a large number of compounds, but they are limited to detecting only a few compounds for any one analysis. The high resolving power of MS enables screening for a very large compound list without compromising accuracy and precision.

Detect a wide range of explosives

     Over 30 explosives compounds are detectable using the Syagen MS technology. Below is a partial list of the compounds that are detectable:

     And for greater effectiveness and ease of use, these compounds can be simultaneously screened using a preloaded database in software. The Guardian^® Portal with MS detection can also be easily upgraded to include new compounds as the threat scenarios change.

Achieve head-to-toe sampling

     History has shown that explosives can be hidden almost anywhere on the body and that contamination will be distributed accordingly. It is imperative that a portal sample for this contamination efficiently from head to toe. The Sandia technology has been proven to achieve this level of screening and outperforms other sampling technologies.

Safe and Comfortable

     Let’s face it; no one likes to be screened. The Guardian^® Security Portal strives to provide a pleasant, yet effective, screening environment. Furthermore, there are no components in the portal that would pose any environmental hazards or health risks. Most current IMS detectors, for example, use a radiation source to ionize compounds. The Guardian^® MS detector uses an environmentally benign air discharge source to ionize explosives compounds.

How the portal works

     Fast and accurate screening for trace levels of explosives and other targeted compounds requires a sophisticated combination of components that work together as a system. The three basic functions of the Syagen/Sandia screening system are:

   · Sample collection and concentration

   · Selective detection of targeted compounds

   · Accurate measurement of targeted compounds

     An individual enters the portal and feels a flow of air that acts to dislodge particles (e.g., explosive materials) from the individual’s clothing and body. The air in the portal is then circulated through a filter to extract the particles, residue, and condensable vapors in a step called preconcentration. Following this enrichment process the collected sample is introduced into the detector. The detector further selects for explosives by using a method that preferentially ionizes electronegative compounds (e.g., explosives compounds). Explosives have properties that make them very reactive to negative ions and electrons. The selectively ionized molecules are then detected by mass spectrometry. Syagen uses its patented, high-performance, QitTof MS system for unprecedented accuracy in making molecular identification of explosives. This high level of accuracy accounts for the best performance with regard to minimizing false negative and false positive rates.