Advanced Technology Helps UN Weapons Inspectors Keep Pace

As the United Nations (UN) weapons inspectors request additional time to complete their rigorous assignment in Baghdad , Iraq , the team has at least one thing in its favor - the advanced capabilities of SensIR Technologies" TravelIR Hazardous Chemical Identifier (HCI), the world"s first truly portable FT-IR spectrometer. Prior to its inspectors" departure to Baghdad last fall, the UN purchased a considerable amount of new equipment that included an undisclosed number of TravelIR HCI systems.

"The speed and specificity of the TravelIR HCI are very rare among the portable chemical identification technology that"s available today," said Jonathan Frattaroli, president of SensIR Technologies. "With the TravelIR HCI, virtually all liquids, powders, pastes and gels can be identified on site within a matter of seconds, saving the inspectors valuable time and ensuring them unsurpassed accuracy. Further, as the inspectors run the great risk of discovering a Weapon of Mass Destruction, the TravelIR HCI eliminates the need to move such a dangerous article off site for thorough analysis."

As Ambassador Richard Butler, the former chief weapons inspector for the UN, commented last week on MSNBC, the equipment being used by the current inspection team has undoubtedly improved since the last round of Baghdad inspections took place more than four years ago.

Back then the quickest way for an inspection team to identify the majority of unknown chemical substances was to transport a sample of a substance off site to a laboratory for thorough spectral analysis - a process that would take at least several hours, if not days. With the TravelIR HCI, however, laboratory capabilities are provided immediately on site.

"With the inspectors rumored to have thousands of sites to test, we are confident that the TravelIR HCI is proving invaluable to them as they strive to meet their tight deadline," Frattaroli said.

Quelle: SensIR Technologies