Prof. Juan Fernandez de la Mora
One of the founders of SEADM
Academy Professor, Yale University
SEADM was founded to develop and commercialize unique instrumentation for the detection and characterization of trace elements based upon the know-how of its technical consultant and co-founder Juan Fernandez de la Mora, Yale University Professor.
Products
Superior technology is the key. We deliver a range of Differential Mobility Analyzers (DMA), which are unique IMS systems for combination with mass spectrometry or for stand-alone use and our Low Flow Secondary Electrospray Ion Source (LF-SESI), enabling you to turn your mass spectrometer into a powerful vapour analyzer just by a fraction of their cost.
Applications
We know that trace detection at progressively lower levels may become a challenge. SEADM analytical systems give you the unique opportunity to face and overcome it. Our customers are already getting a new edge in their research for a range of applications:
Results
European Projects

EXPLORE
Quick and cost effective detection of sulphuric gas markers coming from mineral ores
Expl-ORE project pursues the development of a radically novel platform for the exploration of mineral sulphide ores by means of an automated, quick and cost effective detection of sulphuric gas markers coming from mineral ores. The ambient concentrations of these sulphuric gases is at the level of sub-ppt, loo low for current detection techniques, but suitable for SEADM technology detection. Our platform replicates the physical principle of the soil-gas inspection techniques, but with a totally different operation, since it is automated, requires no drilling and the results are available in minutes rather than in weeks or months. The project has been funded by European Institute of Technology – Raw Materials.


COSMIC
CBRNE Detection in Containers
COSMIC (CBRNE Detection in Containers). Start date: October 2018. Duration: 30 months. The threat of CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives) threats used by terrorists is a major concern for worldwide security. Nowadays there is a major gap in the current security flows that can be used by terrorists to hide and smuggle CBRNE materials inside containers and vehicles. The challenge of improving container and vehicles border crossing and critical infrastructure entrance security checks is thus of great importance. COSMIC plans to bridge the major security gap for fast inspection of large number of containers and vehicles in sea port and in crossing borders for CBRNE materials. The project includes the research, design and implementation of a three stage (primary, secondary, focused manual inspection) detection system using a new set of radically innovative sensors. SEADM has a substantial participation role, including the development of several solutions based upon its proprietary Differential Mobility Analysis (DMA) technique.

VAPEX
Novel Vapour Analyser for the Detection of Explosives in Airports Passengers Checkpoints
VAPEX (Novel Vapour Analyser for the Detection of Explosives in Airports Passengers Checkpoints). Start date: June 2018. Duration: 2 years. Co-funded by Eurostars 2 Program, VAPEX is an European project led by SEADM aiming at the development of a new security explosive screener for the detection of hidden explosives carried by people, both passengers and non-passengers, within airport facilities. Two German entities (Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology and CFX Berlin) are also members of the consortium led by SEADM (Spain), contributing to the development and testing stages. VAPEX will be accomplished in close contact with security forces as future users of the new explosive screener. This project ranked position #10 out of 415 European applicants in the Eurostars 2 call for proposals ‘CoD 8’ (September 2017).

PERFECT
Pesticide reduction using friendly and environmentally controlled technologies
With the title “PEsticide Reduction using Friendly and Environmentally Controlled Technologies” (PERFECT LIFE), the objective of the LIFE project, granted to the consortium in which SEADM participates, is the risk mitigation of pesticide applications for people, wildlife and flora. The work will consist of transferring to the agents of the agrarian sector involved, various methods for the pollution reduction generated by pesticide applications and the metabolites of their decomposition. For this purpose, in collaboration with various agricultural organizations, will be made several demonstrations on the use of tools for the optimal adjustment of the volume of broth to apply and various technologies for the reduction of drift.


HAZEL
Analyzer for the determination of hazardous atmospheric pollutants in concentrations below 1 ppq, through differential mobility analysis
Expedient number: 45/173858.9/17
Grant: co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), set aside for reinforcing the quality of SME Instrument Phase II, Horizon 2020 European Program for the development of Business Investments in R & D within the framework of the RIS3 Regional Research Strategy and the ERDF Operational Program of Madrid Community for the period 2014-2020.
HAZEL (analyzer for the determination of HAZardous atmosphEric poLlutants). Start date: July 27, 2017. Duration: 24 months.
HAZEL aims at the development of new instrumentation for the analysis of POPs (Persistent organic pollutants) in atmospheric samples, a series of compounds posing a high toxicity for humans and living organisms. Specifically, the project will focus on the detection of PAHs (Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and PCDD/F (dioxins and furans), which are the most hazardous pollutants among the POPs family. The new Analyzer will use a novel field-free photoionization source based upon Atmospheric Pressure Photoionization (field-free APPI) and an improved Differential Mobility Analyzer (DMA). The APPI source will efficiently ionize these non-polar analytes, whose ionization is complicated through the conventional ionization techniques. The improved DMA will effectively separate in mobility and deliver ions to the triple quad mass spectrometer, which will perform the final ion classification according to their mass to charge ratio (m/z) and fragmentation pattern. The novel analyzer will substantially reduce the sampling and analysis time, allowing the accomplishment of a series of new, thorough environmental studies and analyses at a significantly reduced cost per sample.

SUREAL-23
Understanding, Measuring and Regulating Sub-23 nm Particle Emissions from Direct Injection Engines Including Real Driving Conditions
SUREAL-23, started in October-2016, is a project led by the Chemical Process Engineering Research Institute (Greece) which aims to develop instrumentation to characterize exhaust particles with sizes below 23 nm from light duty direct injection internal combustion engines, in real-driving conditions. SEADM participation consists of the development of Differential Mobility Analyzers (DMA) and a Condensation Particle Counter (CPC) able to operate with raw exhaust and the implementation of a portable emissions measuring system (PEMS). SUREAL-23 is currently running and it is funded by the European Commission, within the H2020 Green Vehicles 2016 program (Grant Agreement Number 724136).


HAZEL
Trace and Sub-Trace Determination of Organic Atmospheric Pollutants
HAZEL is a project co-funded by the European Commission (H2020, SME program) with the aim of commercializing of a novel, high efficiency system for the determination of hazardous atmospheric pollutants at trace and sub-trace levels, including the Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Compounds as well as Dioxins and Furans, by means of the DMA-MS SEADM’s vapor analyser. HAZEL project is currently running

ACID
Analytical Chemistry Instrumentation Development
The main objective of this project is to develop novel instrumentation for the characterization of gas-phase analytes with high sensitivity and in real time. These prototypes will be benchmarked by pursuing fundamental studies to address open issues around secondary electrospray ionization (SESI) and by screening volatile metabolites from biofluids, explosives and even single cells. This will provide further pre-commercial analytical alternatives to current technologies for the detection of volatile species. ACID project is currently running.

IMMA
Industrial Mobility Mass Analyzer
IMMA (2013-2016) aims at the development of a new technology for the analysis of chemical species in tandem with Mass Spectrometry. The new system, in combination with the pre-existing analyzers, will provide unprecedented separation capacity, which is crucial in many applications.

DIOXDETECTOR
Fast Direct Atmospheric Dioxin Detection
The project main objective is the application of a new analytical technique for the quantification of dioxin, tracking continuous PCDDs/PCDFs concentrations in air, soil and biota (vegetal) at the surroundings of a MSW incineration facility. The new analytical technique will help to evaluate these pollutants dispersion and deposition in the environment, in order to reduce this environmental problem.

National Projects
RESOLVE
Investigación de nuevos conceptos para la mejora de la resolución del DMA
El proyecto RESOLVE, tiene dos líneas de trabajo, diferenciadas según el régimen de operación del Analizador Diferencial de Movilidad (DMA): lineal y no lineal. En ambos casos, el modo de operación del DMA es mediante acople a espectrómetros de masas. La primera de las líneas tiene por objeto desarrollar y probar un DMA con un rendimiento en resolución próximo al límite teórico establecido por la difusión browniana; la segunda persigue el desarrollo y prueba de un nuevo DMA con la capacidad de operar en régimen no lineal de movilidad, y por tanto con el potencial de separar aquellos compuestos con idéntica movilidad lineal, no separables por un DMA lineal. El proyecto ha finalizado, habiéndose cumplido todos los objetivos previstos. El proyecto RESOLVE ha sido cofinanciado por el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional y La Agencia de Innovación, Financiación e Internacionalización Empresarial de Castilla y León (ADE), dentro la Programa Operativo FEDER 2014-2020 del eje 1 dedicado a potenciar la investigación, el desarrollo tecnológico y la innovación, tipo de Ayuda PROYECTOS DE I+D EN PYMES. Nº Expediente: 04/16/VA/0031.

EARLY DEVELOPMENTS IN EXPLOSIVE DETECTION
Industrial research activities in the field of explosive detection from 2005, all of them developed in partnership with Fundación CARTIF, including the projects OLFATO and SIMDE (financed by Agencia Desarrollo Económico – Junta de Castilla y León) and AROMA(jointly funded by the Spanish Ministry of Industry (Profit program) and the Ministry of Defence , Coincidente program) and DETEV funded by the Spanish Ministry of Industry.


CARGO Fase III
Desarrollo de un demostrador de sistema e detección de explosivos para carga aérea
Under subcontract from the related company SEDET. This project was co-funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, under the Spanish National Plan for Scientific Research, Development and technical Innovation 2008-2011 (Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, dentro del Plan Nacional de Investigación Científica, Desarrollo e Innovación Tecnológica 2008-2011). CARGOIII run from 2010 to 2013.


MAIMS
Mobility Analysis Integrated with Mass Spectrometry
An eighteen months program which began in September 2006, is an initiative to couple a Differential Mobility Analyzer (DMA) to an API Mass Spectrometer, in order to increase its resolution capability for biological analysis. MAIMS is an international Canadeka program and is partially funded by the Spanish Ministry of Industry within the 2004-2007 National R&D Plan.


EMOCIÓN
Reconocimiento Mediante Olor Corporal en la Internet del Futuro y su Securización
NEBLI and EMOCION Programs, under subcontract from the company Ilía Systems S.L., run in 2008-2009 and 2009-2011 respectively. The aim of Seadm participation was to design a biometric recognition system based on body odor. Both projects were funded by the Spanish Ministry of Industry inside of the National Plan for Scientific Research, Development and Technological Innovation 2008-2011.


VEAME
Viabilidad de un equipo de Análisis de movilidad (DMA) Electrónico
Its aim has been to develop an electronic Differential Mobility Analyzer (DMA). The project began in June 2009 and ended in December 2010. VEAME was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Industry. Project number TSI-020100-2009-53.


IDOC
Olfactory Initiative Cancer Diagnosis
IDOC Program, under subcontract from the company Ilía Systems S.L., run in 2010-2012. The aim of Seadm participation was to produce a Differential Mobility Analyzer (DMA) and its interface with a TOF mass spectrometer, and to investigate techniques for determination of the cancer olfactory bouquet. IDOC was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, inside of the National Plan for Scientific Research, Development and Technological Innovation 2008-2011. Project number TSI-020100-2010 -12.

VEAME DOBLE
Viabilidad de un equipo de Análisis de movilidad (DMA) Electrónico Doble
Its aim has been to develop a double electronic Differential Mobility Analyzer (DMA). The project began in May 2011 and run for 36 months. VEAME DOBLE was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism, within the National Plan for Scientific Research, Development and Technological Innovation 2008-2011 (Subprogram Avanza Competitividad I+D+I). Project number TSI-020100-2011-34.


DIAFANO
Diagnóstico olfativo del cáncer humano
DIAFANO Program, under subcontract from the company Ilía Systems S.L., run in 2011-2013. The aim of Seadm participation was to produce a Differential Mobility Analyzer (DMA) and its interface with a TOF mass spectrometer, and to investigate techniques for in vitro diagnosis of cancer. DIAFANO was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, inside of the INNPACTO program. Project number IPT-2011-0925-900000.


SIAMM
Sistema integrado de analisis de movilidad y masa
The SIAMM program (June 2013/ December 2015) has been developed for a total duration of 29 months. The aim of this project has been to develop a double-mobility analyzer based on transversal electric fields. The analyzer has been coupled to a LTQ (Linear Trap Quadrupole) comercial mass spectometer bestowed by Thermo Scientific. SIAMM was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, within the National Plan for Scientific Research, Development and Technological Innovation 2013-2016, included in the framework “Strategic Action of Economy and Digital Society (AEESD)”, Order IET/786/2013. Project number TSI-100101-2013-4.

Resources
SEADM has the following resources:
- Personnel: 18 engineers.
- Laboratory: Installed in Fundación CARTIF facilities, Seadm laboratory covers a 250 m2 area, and includes Four Sciex Mass Spectromters: Qtrap3500, API5000, Qtrap5500 and TripleQuad5500.


