US Patent 7502106 - Nanoparticle enhanced breathalyzer

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7502106.html

This patent from Honeywell teaches how nanoparticles can be used to enhance the operation of breath analysis devices such as those used to determine blood alcohol content. Claim 1 reads:

1. A sample analyzer comprising:

a chamber having a first end, a second end, a first input and a second input;

a light source situated at the first end; and

a detector situated at the first end; and wherein:

the first input is for an injection of nanoparticles;

the second input is for an insertion of a sample having molecules; and

the nanoparticles are for attachment of the molecules, the nanoparticles becoming aerosolized nanoparticles and providing a floating surface for surface enhanced Raman scattering by molecules attached to the aerosolized nanoparticles.