Fame:
Fatty acids have long been molecules of environmental, biomedical, agricultural, and industrial importance. The analysis or identification of bacteria based on the ability to differentiate one type of microorganism from another by using fatty acid content and distribution is well known. Fatty acid analysis using Gas Chromatography (GC) has been a challenge because of their high molecular weight and low volatility. The conversion of the fatty acid to the fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) is performed to increase volatility: A method of extracting, methylating, and analyzing fatty acid content has been available for some years using a bench top commercial GC. The advantages of a miniaturized GC system with microfabricated device elements over a traditional GC are low power requirements, low cost, hand-held, and lightweight.
Micro ChemLab:
The µChemLab is a handheld chemical analysis system that combines sample handling, separation, and detection. µChemLab combines three cascaded stages; each realized using microfabricated components.
The discrimination power of analytical chemistry techniques may one day be realized with micro-analytical systems that combine sensors with means for collecting samples, preconcentrating them, and separating constituent species for identification and quantification. Work is underway to construct on-chip building blocks for these systems, including pumps, valves, preconcentrators, gas-chromatograph columns, and sensors.
Monolithically Integrated Micro ChemLab:
The MicroChemLab system utilizes the sequential connection of three microfabricated components to achieve selective and sensitive gas-phase detection. To date, the fielded system hybrid integrates these components permitting their individual optimization and modular replacement. Forming the individual subsystems of the sensor side by side in a single piece of silicon is an alternate method to current field versions of the MicroChemLab. To further reduce system dead volume, allow for heated transfer lines, and ease assembly requirements, monolithic integration of the preconcentrator and the gas chromatography columns with a suitable silicon-based detector has been undertaken by Sandia. This integration approach will be used in future applications requiring further miniaturization and improved detection limits.
SnifferSTAR:
SnifferStar TM is a micro chemical analysis system developed jointly by Sandia National Laboratories and Lockheed Martin (under Lockheed Martin's Shared Vision program) for deployment on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The UAV / SnifferStar TM provides a mobile chemical detection platform that can be used on either a military battlefield or in civilian applications, and serves as an early warning indicator of chemical warfare attack.
