Thermo Scientific Toxic Substance Detector : User's Manual

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Preface

The Thermo Scientific TruDefender FT instrument is an FTIR spectrometer designed for use by first responders, homeland security, military, law enforcement, and forensic chemistry personnel. Compact and lightweight, this instrument is intended for rap...

This guide describes how to perform a scan with the TruDefender® FT instrument, interpret scan results, save and export results, and maintain the instrument. If you own a TruDefender FTi model, you can also wirelessly send a scan as an email or an S...

Contacting Us

Contact Thermo Fisher Scientific any time for information or assistance.

Safety Notices

The TruDefender FT instrument is specifically designed to be used in an everyday environment in the field and is therefore considerably more rugged than a laboratory instrument.

However, the user should recognize that this is a precision scientific instrument that should be treated with care. Abuse and mistreatment may lead to a degradation of performance or premature failure.

Do not use the TruDefender FT instrument unless you have been trained in its use.

There are no user-adjustable components inside the instrument. The TruDefender FT battery compartment door may be opened, but do not open the device or modify the electronics within. All service operations must be performed by Thermo Fisher Scientifi...

Use of controls, adjustments or performance of procedures other than those specified herein or those specified by Thermo Fisher Scientific personnel may result in a hazardous condition.

Follow your organization's procedure and regulations for the handling of unknown substances.

The TruDefender FT instrument is not certified to be intrinsically safe, and the user should take the necessary precautions when using the unit.

When wireless transmission is enabled, maintain a distance of 7.9 inches (20 cm) between the instrument and your head and body.

If there is a possibility that you may be sending messages wirelessly with the instrument, do not attach the instrument to your belt clip or hang it on a shoulder strap.

Getting Started

The TruDefender FT instrument can be powered by:

When the display illuminates, the instrument is fully powered and ready for operation.

The instrument has three power states: On, off, and a power-saving mode (“sleep mode”).

To turn on the instrument

Press and hold the Wake/Sleep key until the display backlight turns on, then release the key.

To put the instrument into sleep mode

Briefly press the Wake/Sleep key.

To turn off the instrument

Press the Wake/Sleep key for several seconds.

Opening and Closing the Access Door

The access door is designed to securely seal the battery compartment, to protect it from contaminants.

To open the access door

Place your thumbs on each side of the door bar and push in the direction of the arrows on the bar. The tabs on both ends of the bar will disengage from the slots on either side of the door.

To close the access door

Press the door into the opening to completely seat the door gasket into the bottom of the instrument. Push the door bar into the horizontal position. Make sure that both of the bar tabs are seated in their slots.

Changing the Rechargeable Battery

Be sure to turn the instrument off before removing the rechargeable battery or the disposable batteries.

Be sure to turn the instrument off before removing any batteries. See the caution notice above.

Follow the procedure for changing the rechargeable battery, but remove the rechargeable battery and insert three disposable batteries.

Orient the battery poles in this order: positive, negative, positive. See the figure inside of the battery compartment door, which shows the correct orientation.

Using the Wall Plug Adapters

Your instrument comes with a set of international wall plug adapters. To install an adapter, press it into the recess in the power cord until the adapter clicks into place. To remove an adapter, slide the release latch down and pull the adapter out.

Using the Memory Card

When you export data, the instrument stores the data on a memory card, which may be placed in a memory card reader and connected to a computer.

To insert the memory card

Hold the card with the arrow pointing toward the instrument and the notched edge at the left (see the figure at the left) and insert it into the memory card slot. Press the card in until it catches in place.

To remove the memory card

Push the card in, then release. The card will eject slightly from the slot. Remove the card, using the fingernail groove on the top edge of the card to catch the card’s edge.

Changing System Date or Time

You can change system date and time to synchronize with your local time.

By default, your instrument uses the mm/dd/yyyy date format. You can switch to the dd/mm/yyyy format.

You can change the system language at any time.

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Scanning

Follow Safe Scanning Practices

Shock- or friction-sensitive materials can pose a hazard of explosion if mishandled during the scanning process. Examples of materials known to be shock- and friction- sensitive include (but are not limited to) TATP, gunpowder, nitroglycerine, and ma...

Follow these safety precautions when performing a scan of a material that may be shock- or friction-sensitive:

The FTIR light beam emerges from the center of the sampling tip. Because the beam can only penetrate a few microns into a sample, to get a good scan you must ensure that sample materials are in very close contact with the sampling tip.

The keys to getting a good scan are:

Whenever possible, use the sample crusher to scan powders. The sample crusher exerts the firm and constant pressure that is necessary to ensure good contact.

TruDefender FT generally displays results in less than 30 seconds. Scans may be prolonged or may not finish if:

Cleaning the Sampling Tip

Before every background check, clean the sampling tip thoroughly.

To clean the tip, scrub it with an alcohol wipe, then allow it to air dry, or wipe it with a clean paper towel or cloth. If the tip is visibly dirty, wipe off as much of the material as possible before scrubbing the tip with an alcohol wipe.

If the sampling tip is contaminated with an oily substance, scrub it with mineral spirits or paint thinner.

Best Practices for Scanning

Immerse the sampling tip in the puddle. The instrument may touch the underlying surface.

Stand the instrument on its bottom.

Place a drop of liquid on the sampling tip.

See “Scanning a Volatile Liquid” on page 17.

Saturate a swab with the liquid.

Press the swab firmly on the center of the sampling tip.

Collect some of the paste on a swab.

Press the swab firmly on the center of the sampling tip.

If the powder is coarse, grind it to a fine and even texture.

For best results, use the sample crusher (see page 16).

If you cannot use the sample crusher, firmly press the sampling tip in contact with the powder.

If the material can be ground, grind it to a fine powder and scan it with the sample crusher (see page 16).

If the material cannot be ground, press the sampling tip firmly into the material.

Performing a Scan

Choose a scanning technique (see the Best Practices table on page 11). See page 16 for guidelines on using the sample crusher.

Press the Wake/Sleep key if the instrument is not powered up. The Main menu appears.

Press the Quick Scan key. The Background Check screen appears. Clean the sampling tip now (see page 10).

(Optional) Create a new session for the scan. Select Session > Create new session > press the Enter key. The New Session Name keyboard appears.

Enter a new name or accept the default name. (For help with the keyboard, see page 17.)

Select Go > press the Enter key. The instrument performs a background check. If the background has changed since the last scan, the instrument automatically performs a new background scan.

When the background check or the background scan finishes, the Position Unit screen appears.

Place the sampling tip in contact with the sample (see the Best Practices table on page 11). If you are using the sample crusher, place a small amount of the test substance on the sampling platform, then insert the instrument (see page 16).

To start the scan, select Scan > press the Enter key. The Scan in progress screen appears. Hold the instrument steady during the scan.

To monitor the progress of the scan, observe the progress bar on the bottom of the scan screen and the signal strength meter. The progress bar displays the estimated time to scan completion.

When the scan finishes, the instrument displays a result (see page 19).

Reading the Activity Indicator Light

The activity indicator light on the bottom of the instrument also indicates scan status:

Speeding Scan Time by Restricting the Library Search

During the analysis phase of a scan, the instrument normally searches the entire library to find the best match for the scan data.

You can constrain this search to only factory-added library items or only user-added library items.

Constraining the library search reduces scan time and is most useful when you are only interested in detecting the presence of particular user-added items.

For information on creating user-added library items, see page 35.

Whenever possible, use the sample crusher to scan powders, because it is difficult to manually apply enough pressure to get a good scan. The sample crusher holds a powdered sample in firm and close contact with the sampling tip during the scan.

Use the sample crusher to scan a volatile liquid. This will help prevent the liquid from evaporating before the scan is complete.

The instrument displays a keyboard when you need to enter data into the system, such as a session name.

To enter data into the keyboard

Understanding Results

Reading a Result Screen

All result screens except the No Match result include the information shown in the figure below.

The NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) diamond identifies the type and level of risks that this library item poses for emergency personnel, according to specifications set forth in NFPA standard 704.

Interpreting a Scan Result

Single Positive Match

The data matches only one library item.

Multiple Positive Match

The data matches two or more library items, meaning that the sample could be any one of them.

Mixture Match

The data matches a mixture of library items.

The percentages indicate the proportion of the data that matches the individual items. The percentages are not concentrations.

The percentages will not add up to 100 if any of the data cannot be matched.

Mixture identification is a complex analysis. It is more susceptible to false positives than the Single Positive or Multiple Positive results.

Similar Item Match

The data is similar to one or more library items.

Be careful when interpreting this type of result! This screen does not mean that the listed substances are present, only that the data resembles them in some respects.

Possible reasons for a Similar Item match include the following:

Consult the Best Practices table (page 11) and repeat the scan.

If this result persists, contact Thermo Fisher Scientific Customer Support.

No Match

The data did not match anything in the library, including mixtures of library items.

The text on the No Match screen contains important information. Read it carefully.

Possible reasons for a No Match result include the following:

Consult the Best Practices table (page 11) and repeat the scan.

If this result persists, contact Customer Support.

Viewing Library Information for a Scan Result

For Single Positive results, press the Enter key > select View Info. Detailed library information for the identified substance will appear in the display.

For result screens that identify more than one substance (Multiple Positive, Mixture, and some Similar Match results), use the down arrow key to select one of the identified substances > press the Enter key > select View Info.

Viewing the Spectrum for a Scan Result

When a scan result is inconclusive or confusing, viewing the spectrum for the result can help you make a positive identification.

The instrument superimposes the spectrum of the identified substance on the spectrum of the library item that matches the scan data.

The scan spectrum is colored black, and the library spectrum is colored red. In the case of a Mixture result, the instrument also displays a blue-colored spectrum for the mixture itself.

You can zoom a spectrum to improve the visibility of crowded regions. Zooming shortens and widens the peaks in a spectrum.

To make zoomed peaks more prominent, you can rescale the spectrum. Rescaling increases the vertical height of the spectrum peaks.

Use the arrow keys to pan to regions of interest in a zoomed spectrum.

To visually compare the patterns of the peaks in two spectra, you can lay one spectrum on top of another.

The overlaid spectrum is colored light purple.

With the spectrum and its overlay displayed, press the Enter key > select Clear overlay.

Reviewing Stored Scans and Sending Messages

Viewing a Stored Scan

Scans are stored in the session folder that is specified in the Select Session screen (see page 13). If you never create a new session, scans are stored in the default session folder.

Use the left and right arrow keys to scroll through the session folders. Use the up and down arrow keys to scroll through stored scans.

You can rename any single scan or session.

You can export scans to the memory card and transfer them to a computer for analysis, printing, or emailing. If you own a TruDefender FTi model, you can also export a single scan wirelessly as an email or SMS text message (see page 30).

The TruDefender FT instrument provides these export formats:

Export the scan as a JPEG file (see page 27) and print the file from your computer. Here is a sample report file for 2-propanol.

Viewing Exported SPC Files

To view SPC files on your computer, you must have software that can read them. Thermo Fisher Scientific recommends GRAMS® software, an integrated suite of spectroscopic software tools that is available from

Thermo Fisher Scientific (see http://www.thermo.com/ grams). You can also use a freeware program called SpekWin32, available at http://www.effemm2.de/ spekwin/index_en.html.

Deleting Scans and Sessions

When you delete all scans at once, the instrument deletes all scans and all sessions except for the default session. When finished, the instrument has one empty session with the default session name.

If you own a TruDefender FTi model, you can wirelessly send scans to:

(An SMS transmission is a text message. SMS stands for “Short Message Service.”)

Wireless transmissions are sent over mobile phone networks. Reception is governed by cell phone coverage in your area. The instrument displays signal strength bars to help you gauge reception.

About the Wireless Radio Power States

The wireless radio is enabled when you turn on the instrument after a complete power-down. If, though, you wake the instrument from a sleep, the radio is not enabled. (See “Powering the Instrument” on page 6 for an explanation of the power states.)

When you initiate a scan, the instrument disables the radio. The radio remains disabled until you send a scan, which automatically enables the radio.

You can also enable and disable the radio manually (see page 34).

Reading the Wireless Service Icons

When the radio is enabled, signal strength bars and service icons appear at the top right of every screen. The instrument uses different services for email and SMS transmissions.

Just like a mobile phone, the signal strength bars roughly indicate radio signal strength, not transmission speed.

The service icons include:

Wirelessly Sending a Scan

You can send a scan to a contact immediately after the result appears, or you can send a stored scan.

Your instrument can hold up to 25 contacts. A contact consists of an email address or SMS number and an optional contact name.

You can add one contact immediately before sending a scan (see below) or multiple contacts at any time via the Wireless Tools menu (see page 32).

You can also add one or more contacts by entering them into a contact list on a special Customer Support web page and then synchronizing your instrument contact list with this web page (see page 32). The synchronization process performs a two-way upd...

Adding a Contact When You Send a Scan

To place the new contact on the Customer Support contact list web page, synchronize the lists (see page 33).

The contact list web page provides a decentralized way to add contacts to an instrument in the field.

To edit or delete a contact that is on your instrument, you must make the change on the contact list web page and then synchronize the two lists (see below). You cannot edit or delete a contact directly on the instrument.

When you synchronize the contact lists, the instrument and the contact list web page exchange data, so that each shows the same set of contacts.

In addition, if you have deleted or edited a contact on the web page, synchronization makes those changes on the instrument contact list.

You can attach any combination of the following types of files to emailed scans:

For an explanation of these file formats, see page 27.

The radio consumes energy when it is enabled. To avoid running down your battery, you may choose to disable the radio. You can do this two ways:

Using the Library

Using the Library

The library contains detailed information about all the chemicals that your instrument can detect.

To help you locate items, the library is organized into tabs. You can choose to view either alphabetical tabs or category tabs (see page 36).

You can add custom items to the library (termed “user- added items”), which appear in their own tab in category view (see page 37).

To manually locate library items
- 1 In the Main menu, select Library > press the Enter key.
- 2 Use the arrow keys to scroll to an item > press the Enter key > select View Info.

2 Use the arrow keys to scroll to an item > press the Enter key > select View Info.

Searching for Library Items

You can search for items by any part of their name. For example, “ace” finds “acetone” and “acetate.”

You can choose to view alphabetical library tabs or category library tabs.

You can export user-added library items to a different instrument by using the memory card to transfer the data.

To easily find user-added items, switch the library to show category tabs (see the preceding section).

Adding a custom library item involves performing a library scan. A library scan is just like a regular scan except that it collects more data and so requires more time to complete.

The scale below the scan progress bar indicates the quality level that the scan has reached at a given point in time.

For the highest quality data, let the scan run until the green bar reaches the High marker.

If a scan is taking a very long time to run, you may press the Enter key to halt the scan at a lower level of scan quality.

You can delete a user-added library item, but not a factory-installed item.

Maintenance and Getting Help

Getting Help and Reachback Support

Thermo Fisher Scientific Customer Support is available by telephone or email 24/7, 365 days a year.

Please contact Customer Support by telephone before emailing a Reachback file. Your call will immediately be escalated to a senior Customer Support specialist, who will explain the Reachback process and help you to email your scan results to us in Re...

Our chemists begin analyzing your Reachback file as soon as they receive it. In most cases, you will receive a preliminary report of their findings within 1 hour. Within 1 business day, Customer Support will send you a final written report.

Sending a Reachback File Wirelessly

If you own a TruDefender FTi model, you can wirelessly send scan results to Customer Support in the Reachback file format.

The process involves supplying a contact telephone number, which the instrument sends to Customer Support along with the Reachback file.

Customer Support will telephone this number as soon as they receive the file, to discuss the results and collect additional information as needed.

Perform a self test at least daily to verify that the instrument is operating properly. During the self test, you will scan the silicone boot on the sample crusher.

The self test has two possible results:

To remove nonhazardous contaminants from the outside of the instrument and the sample crusher, wipe them with a soft cloth moistened with water or isopropyl alcohol.

If the instrument is contaminated with potentially hazardous substances, follow the instructions in “Decontaminating the Instrument and the Sample Crusher” on page 43.

Cleaning the Sample Crusher

Clean the sample crusher regularly, or whenever it becomes difficult to insert the instrument.

Contaminants enter the sample crusher at its moving parts (the spring-loaded sampling platform and the latches) and eventually make it difficult to insert the instrument.

A buildup of hardened accumulations in the recesses of the top of the sample crusher can also prevent instrument insertion.

To clean the sample crusher, disassemble it and clean its parts with alcohol wipes, or with mineral spirits for oily contaminants.

You may immerse the instrument and the disassembled sample crusher for up to 1 hour in either water or a solution of 1 part household bleach (5% sodium hypochlorite) and 10 parts water.

Before decontaminating the instrument, be sure to:

You may want to remove the instrument boot before decontamination. Although the boot fits tightly, contaminants may enter along its edges. To remove the boot, place your thumbs on either side of the boot at the bottom end of the instrument and push t...

Rebooting the Instrument

If the instrument becomes unresponsive, reboot it by turning it off, then on again.

If the instrument still fails to reboot, contact Customer Support.

Recharging the Battery

You can recharge the battery in two ways:

Charge time for a depleted battery is less than 4 hours.

About the System Card

The system memory card resides in a slot at the back of the battery compartment. The card holds the instrument software, chemical library, user-added library items, and stored scans.

The system memory card does not hold any user- modifiable software or data. Do not remove the card unless instructed to do so by Customer Support.

Troubleshooting Wireless Transmissions

If you are having trouble sending wireless transmissions, try the following troubleshooting procedures:

Testing the Wireless Service

If you are having difficulty sending messages, Customer Support may ask you to test your connection to the TruDefender FTi servers.

Customer Support will notify you when a software upgrade is available on the Customer Support website.

To log into this website, you must enter the support code and serial number for your instrument.

The support code is listed in the About screen (select Tools > About).

The serial number is printed on a label on the back of the instrument and is also displayed in the About screen.

The support code changes on a daily basis. To obtain a valid support code, the time, date, and GMT zone fields must be set correctly on your instrument (see page 8).

Before returning the instrument, contact Customer Support or your local distributor and request a return material authorization (RMA) number.

Packages that are not identified with an RMA number will be returned to the shipper unopened.

Labels and Regulatory Statements

Export Regulation Statements

Export Regulation Statements

WEEE Compliance

This product is required to comply with the European Union’s Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive 2002/96/EC. It is marked with the following symbol:

Thermo Fisher Scientific has contracted with one or more recycling or disposal companies in each European Union (EU) Member State, and these companies should dispose of or recycle this product. For further information, contact Thermo Fisher Scientifi...

WEEE Konformität

Dieses Produkt muss die EU Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Richtlinie 2002/96/EC erfüllen. Das Produkt ist durch folgendes Symbol gekennzeichnet:

Thermo Fisher Scientific hat Vereinbarungen mit Verwertungs-/Entsorgungsfirmen in allen EU- Mitgliedsstaaten getroffen, damit dieses Produkt durch diese Firmen wiederverwertet oder entsorgt werden kann. Weitere Informationen erhalten Sie bei Thermo F...

Conformité DEEE

Ce produit doit être conforme à la directive européenne (2002/96/EC) des Déchets d'Equipements Electriques et Electroniques (DEEE). Il est marqué par le symbole suivant:

Thermo Fisher Scientific s'est associé avec une ou plusieurs compagnies de recyclage dans chaque état membre de l’union européenne et ce produit devrait être collecté ou recyclé par celles-ci. Pour de plus amples renseignements, veuillez cont...

Limited Warranty

Seller warrants that the Products will operate or perform substantially in conformance with Seller's published specifications and be free from defects in material and workmanship, when subjected to normal, proper and intended usage by properly traine...

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Products supplied by Seller that are obtained by Seller from an original manufacturer or third party supplier are not warranted by Seller, but Seller agrees to assign to Buyer any warranty rights in such Product that Se...

In no event shall Seller have any obligation to make repairs, replacements or corrections required, in whole or in part, as the result of (i) normal wear and tear, (ii) accident, disaster or event of force majeure, (iii) misuse, fault or negligence o...

THE OBLIGATIONS CREATED BY THIS WARRANTY STATEMENT TO REPAIR OR REPLACE A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT SHALL BE THE SOLE REMEDY OF BUYER IN THE EVENT OF A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THIS WARRANTY STATEMENT, SELLER DISCLAIMS ALL OTHER WAR...

Index

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

Any change or modification to the product not expressly approved by Enfora Inc. could void the user's authority to operate the device.

This equipment complies with FCC radiation exposure limits set forth an uncontrolled environment.

This equipment should be installed and operated with minimum distance 20cm between the equipment and the user's body.

This device complies with Industry Canada license-exempt RSS standard(s). Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

Le présent appareil est conforme aux CNR d'Industrie Canada applicables aux appareils radio exempts de licence.

L'exploitation est autorisée aux deux conditions suivantes:

This device has been designed to comply with safety requirements for exposure to radio waves (SAR) in accordance with RSS-102.

This device should be installed and operated with minimum distance 20cm between the equipment and your body.

Cet artifice a été conçu pour se plier à la sécurité les exigences pour l'exposition aux ondes radioélectriques (SAR) dans conformité avec RSS-102.

Cet artifice devrait être installé et fait marcher avec la distance minimale 20 centimètres entre l'équipement et votre corps.