chemical identification

Portable isotope neutron excitation spectroscopy (PINS) systems are already in use across the spectrum; increasingly used as part of national measures. PINS provides a non-contact and non-destructive method to identify the chemical composition of “suspicious” components.

PINS technology, an R&D 100 award winner, was originally developed to identify old ingredients suspected of containing chemical agents. It is worth noting that although PINS technology is a nuclear technology, its purpose, namely the determination of chemical composition, has nothing to do with nuclear energy or weapons.

• Neutron-based non-destructive analysis system
• Detects chemicals inside thick steel containers and quickly determines whether their ingredients are harmful
• Designed to determine the chemical content of a container without the need for disassembly, contact, physical sampling or sample preparation

Application

• - artillery, rockets, mines
• Containers - cylinders, tanks, bags, briefcases, parcels, suitcases
• Chemicals - chemical warheads, gases, smoke

According to the cooperation agreement between ORTEC and the Idaho National Laboratory in the United States, PINS technology has been continuously developed and improved. (INL).¹

¹CRADA 93-CR-12.