New trace detection technology attracts huge interest!

New trace detection technology offers improved security

Quantitech has reported enormous levels of interest in a new trace detection technology that was launched at this year's Transport Security Expo at London's Olympia (GB).

The new technology was developed by TeknoScan Systems of Canada and their Vice-President Larry Wardrop was present at the Quantitech booth to explain the many advantages of the new instrument over existing techniques. Commenting on the success of the event, Larry said: "A considerable amount of time and money has gone into the development and assessment of this technology, so we were delighted to receive such an enthusiastic reception at the Expo."

The TeknoScan TSI-3000 is a highly sensitive and selective portable system for detecting banned substances, capable of simultaneously detecting target substances from a library of up to 50 separate compounds, providing complete analysis of a sample in 3 minutes or less. A major feature of the equipment is the virtual elimination of false alarms.

During field trials, TeknoScan demonstrated detection and identification of threat substances from samples as small as 0.1 nanograms in a polluted environment. Therefore, there is an extremely high probability of detection if an individual, object or container has been in contact with a target substance, even if masking agents are present.

Quantitech’s Managing Director Keith Golding said: “There are three important features to this new technology. Firstly, samples are acquired by aspiration and we are able to detect substances both in the volatile state and attached to other tiny particles of dust. Secondly, the number of false alarms is dramatically reduced by concentrating and purifying the sample with a number of sequential techniques, and thirdly, it is a networkable product that can be updated as and when new drugs or explosives become a threat. "A reliable technology for detecting banned substances on passengers and in freight cargo is critically important to every aspect of security, so we are very excited about the prospects for the TeknoScan technology."

Canadian technology to aid banned substance detection in GB.

Quantitech has signed an agreement with the Canadian company TeknoScan Systems Inc to introduce a highly advanced technology for banned substance detection, to the British market.

Keith Golding, Quantitech Managing Director, says, "TeknoScan's technology represents a major advance in the fight against terrorism and organised crime. The problem with existing technology has been a lack of selectivity; the inability to identify target substances in a chemically 'noisy' environment. Until now the most sensitive detector has been the nose of a specially trained dog. However, TeknoScan has developed a highly sensitive and selective portable system that has major advantages over existing techniques, not least of which is the ability to detect target substances from a library containing up to 50 separate compounds all at once."

TeknoScan has demonstrated detection and identification of threat substances from samples as small as 0.1 nanograms in a polluted environment. Therefore, there is an extremely high probability of detection if an individual, object or container has been in contact with a target substance, even if masking agents are present.

The complete TeknoScan Analyser is approximately the size of a briefcase and provides complete analysis of a sample in 3 minutes or less.

TeknoScan Systems Vice President, Larry Wardrop, believes that the new technology will be utilised in a wide variety of applications. He says, "This equipment will be of enormous benefit to those responsible for our safety and security. Screening of all types of air cargo, container traffic and the vehicles crossing our borders is available to us through this technology. In addition to the sampling equipment that we are developing for containers and packages, we also have versions that enable the testing of individuals, cars, trucks, caravans, hotel rooms and even large meeting venues such as music and sports stadia."