CDE Marketplace: Ancon

1

Ultra Sensitive Vapour Detection with Nanotechnology Molecular Tagging

(NMT)

CDE– Marketplace presentation

5th February 2015

Dr Robert Muir

[email protected]

05/02/2015 CDE Marketplace 2015 – Detection of Explosives and Weapons

2

Agenda

Introduction to Ancon

Overview of Ancon's NMT technology

Capability demonstrated in CDE funded projects

Potential benefits of CDE funded innovations

Further support and input required

Summary

05/02/2015 CDE Marketplace 2015 – Detection of Explosives and Weapons

3

Introduction to Ancon Technologies

05/02/2015 CDE Marketplace 2015 – Detection of Explosives and Weapons

• Founded 2003 based in Canterbury, England

• New concept for the detection of airborne trace vapours

• Individual molecules counted – giving unprecedented sensitivities

• Potential for non-contact/stand-off detection of explosives, chemical weapons, drugs etc.

• Granted USA and GB patents plus pipeline of additional IP to be filed

4

Target molecules are ionised and selected using standard ion selection techniques (e.g. IMS or FAIMS).

The selected target ions are mixed with specialised tags.

Tagging allows for the ions to be counted individually with optical techniques.

TagGenerator

TaggingChamber

Tagged IonExtractor

Tagged IonCounter

SelectedIons

NMT

Nanotechnology Molecular Tagging (NMT)

05/02/2015 CDE Marketplace 2015 – Detection of Explosives and Weapons

5

Progress

05/02/2015 CDE Marketplace 2015 – Detection of Explosives and Weapons

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

1989 1994 1999 2004 2009 2014 Year

Detection limit trend (in cm-3 of air Log10N)

Dogs

Alternative Technologies

Level of detection required

6

Overview of CDE projects

05/02/2015 CDE Marketplace 2015 – Detection of Explosives and Weapons

• CDE phase 1

Proof-of-concept for detection of explosives with FAIMS ion selection (DNT, TNT and ammonium nitrate).

• CDE phase 2a

Development of modular NMT and demonstrated explosives detection (DNT).

• CDE – Detection of Airborne Chemical Hazards

Development of IMS ion selection interface with NMT for the detection of <1 ppb DMMP.

7

Potential Benefits

05/02/2015 CDE Marketplace 2015 – Detection of Explosives and Weapons

8

Upgrade current swab systems

05/02/2015 CDE Marketplace 2015 – Detection of Explosives and Weapons

Improve sensitivity by several orders of magnitude • Higher effectiveness of detection

• Chance to detect low volatility explosives

9

Non-contact vapour detection to enhance baggage screening

05/02/2015 CDE Marketplace 2015 – Detection of Explosives and Weapons

Include vapour detector alongside X-ray scanners

Image courtesy of Miki Yoshihito, CC BY 2.0

10

Non-contact/stand-off detection of explosives, chemical weapons, drugs and other contraband

05/02/2015 CDE Marketplace 2015 – Detection of Explosives and Weapons

Calculations suggest that a buried mine could be detected at 100m

11

Powerful analytical tool for forensics analysis

05/02/2015 CDE Marketplace 2015 – Detection of Explosives and Weapons

Performance comparable to GC-MS Compact, robust, affordable and easy to use

Image courtesy of Idaho National Laboratory , CC BY 2.0

12

Potential for non-contact/stand-off detection of explosives, chemical weapons, drugs and other contraband

Upgrade current IMS systems sensitivity by several orders of magnitude

Non-contact vapour detection to enhance baggage screening

Powerful analytical tool for forensics and other analyses

Summary of Potential Benefits

05/02/2015 CDE Marketplace 2015 – Detection of Explosives and Weapons

19/11/2014 Innovative Research Call 2013 – Detection of Explosives and Weapons – Phase 2 13

ANCON Status and Requirements

• ANCON has secured funding to TRL7 • Seeking additional funds and partners to

complete commercialisation Engineering Manufacturing Marketing and sales

19/11/2014 Innovative Research Call 2013 – Detection of Explosives and Weapons – Phase 2 14

End