Syagen Technology to develop next generation, explosive trace detection

Syagen Technology, Inc., of Tustin, CA, has been awarded a development contract from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Science & Technology Directorate to address the needs of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in effectively implementing its Certified Cargo Screening Program (CCSP).

 TSA developed the CCSP as a solution to help reach its mandate for conducting 100 percent screening of all air cargo on commercial airline flights after August 1, 2010.

 Syagen is working with mass spectrometry (MS) detection for homeland security applications. MS is a widely used analytical method for chemical identification currently employed in analytical laboratories where the highest standards of chemical identification are required, but which has never been widely used for homeland security purposes.

 The contract awarded to Syagen is intended to create a purpose-designed MS system for the particular needs of the air cargo environment where high-speed sampling, a simplified user interface and extremely accurate, reliable alarm data are required.

 Dr. Jack Syage, President of Syagen, said, “We greatly appreciate this opportunity to demonstrate the utility of mass spectrometry for the trace detection of explosives and to contribute to DHS’s efforts to field improved technology, capable of countering current and future terrorist threats.”

 Syagen Technology, Inc. is an analytical instrumentation company developing mass spectrometry products and technology for high-speed molecular analysis for a broad range of chemical analysis applications, ranging from homeland security to pharmaceutical analysis.