Contact hazard monitor

Abstract

A surface contaminated with toxic materials to be tested or monitored is pled using a probe which is shown here to have a rectangular opening typically of several square inches in cross section. A pliable gasket of suitable heat-resistant material is used to cushion and seal the probe in contact with the surface, but small holes are provided of sufficient size (and positioned close to the surface to be tested) to allow ambient air to be drawn at a desired volumetric flow rate through a sampling tube which also forms the handle of the probe, and is connected through a flexible tube or hose to a suitable detector and vacuum pump. The detector and pump can be combined in a single unit. The detector can be one of several kinds of providing sensitive monitoring of agent vapors or simulant vapors, e.g., a flame photometer or a gas chromatograph (with suitable sampling techniques). Within the probe is mounted a lamp that provides intense heat (e.g., a quartz tube lamp) and is mounted in such a position that it is close to the surface when the probe gasket is in contact with the surface. A polished reflector can be used to focus the radiation uniformly across the surface. In place of the lamp other heating elements could be used, e.g., wound wire elements of Nichrome or other material, or electrically-conductive rods of semiconductors or carbon or other materials.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A contact hazard monitor of a surface contaminated with toxic materials, comprising: a hollow heat producing probe having a base for separable engagement to said surface,   a pliable heat resistant gasket attached to said base, said gasket sealing said probe to said surface, said gasket having a plurality of openings for the passage of ambient air,   a sampling tube connected to said probe,   a detector of said toxic material connected to said sampling tube, and   a vacuum pump for drawing said toxic material through said detector from said sampling tube, whereby said toxic material is removed from said surface.   
     
     
       2. The monitor of claim 1 wherein said heat producing of said probe is accomplished by a quartz tube lamp. 
     
     
       3. The monitor of claim 2 wherein a polished reflector within said probe is used to focus the heat of said lamp across said contaminated surface. 
     
     
       4. The monitor of claim 3 wherein an infrared pyrometer measures a temperature of said surface until a temperature of at least 250 degrees F. is attained. 
     
     
       5. A method of monitoring a measured surface contaminated with a toxic agent comprising: placing a heat producing probe over said measured surface.   heating said probe,   measuring a temperature of said surface by a pyrometer until a temperature of at least 250 degrees F. is attained, and   maintaining said temperature for a predetermined time over said measured surface thereby extracting said toxic material.