Two Colorado companies that make chemical-detection products could benefit from increased airport-security efforts to detect explosives.
Golden-based Isonics Corp., a specialty-chemical and advanced-materials company, last week released a new hand-held device called the Ion Mobility Spectrometry unit that detects chemicals and explosives. The units will begin shipping this month.
“Instead of frisking the person, you can sniff them to look for evidence of explosives or drugs,” said Isonics chairman and chief executive James Alexander. “The scan can identify if there’s any suspicious residue if they have a particular characteristic or vapor.”
Alexander said the spectrometry unit would work in conjunction with devices already on the market.
No orders have been placed for the device to date, he said, adding that at least six companies make similar products.
Shares of the company rose 19 cents to 80 cents Thursday. The company, founded in 1992, has a total of 600 employees in Colorado and Germany.
Longmont-based Synkera Technologies Inc. is primarily focused on detecting harmful agents in manufacturing facilities and processes used to purify hydrogen in fuel cells.
But the 12-person private company is working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on several projects, including a toxic-gas-detection system and a device that can analyze residues inside containers.
Debra Deininger, product manager for sensors at the company, said that although it has used its sensors only for gas and water, the research can be applied to other, more complex liquids.
Synkera was founded in 2003.
“Where there’s concern, there’s money,” Deininger said. “It’s going to take money to develop improved sensor technology to exceed what’s available today.”
Staff writer Kimberly S. Johnson can be reached at 303-820-1088 or kjohnson@denverpost.com.
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