Intelligent signal processing for detection system optimization.

A wavelet-neural network signal processing method has demonstrated approximately 10-fold improvement over traditional signal processing methods for the detection limit of various nitrogen and phosphorus compounds from the output of a thermionic detector attached to a gas chromatograph. A blind test was conducted to validate the lower detection limit. All 14 of the compound spikes were detected when above the estimated threshold, including all 3 within a factor of 2 above the threshold.