HK1177713A - Container having gas scrubber insert for automated clinical analyzer - Google Patents

Description

Container with gas scrubber insert for clinical autoanalyzer

Background of the invention.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the treatment of environmental contaminants so that they do not contaminate the liquid in a container, more particularly the liquid to be used for assays in clinical automatic analyzers.

Discussion of the prior art

ARCHITECT^®Members of the series of clinical automatic analyzers (available from Abbott Laboratories) require a fluid handling system that uses at least one subsystem for aspirating and dispensing samples and reagents, at least one subsystem for dispensing buffers, at least one subsystem for dispensing pre-trigger solutionsAnd a stimulation fluid (trigger solutions), and at least one subsystem for treating the waste stream.

By the aspiration process, the sample is removed from the sample container and the assay reagent is removed from the reagent container for dispensing into the reaction vessel. In addition, wash buffer was dispensed for priming and rinsing. The priming and pre-priming liquids are also dispensed into the reaction vessel. The priming and pre-priming fluids are typically stored on-board in relatively large containers in automated clinical analyzers in the form of bulk liquid reagents.

Liquid reagents are typically aspirated from a container, such as a bottle, and the volume of aspirated liquid reagent is replaced by air from the atmospheric air surrounding the container through a vent. As a result, carbon dioxide, i.e. CO, from the atmospheric air surrounding the vessel₂Absorbed by and dissolved in the liquid reagent, the pH of the liquid reagent decreases. The stability of the liquid reagent when stored in the clinical autoanalyzer was about thirty days. Certain liquid reagents become unstable after storage periods of less than thirty days in an automated clinical analyzer. After thirty days or less, the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by and dissolved in the liquid reagent lowers the pH of the liquid reagent to a level that results in adversely affecting the assay results.

Typically, as liquid reagent is pumped from a container, the volume of liquid reagent is displaced by atmospheric air surrounding the container by the action of a diaphragm. The membrane also serves to minimize evaporation of the liquid reagent. Furthermore, some contamination occurs naturally, since the membrane cannot be completely impermeable to air. As a result, carbon dioxide or oxygen from the atmospheric air surrounding the container is absorbed by and dissolved in the liquid reagent, thereby affecting the chemical composition of the reagent. For example, as carbon dioxide reacts with water, the pH of the resulting aqueous composition decreases. The reagent container may be overfilled with additional liquid reagent to counteract the effect of the liquid reagent being displaced by atmospheric air surrounding the container.

Figure 1 shows a prior art container. As shown in fig. 1, vessel 10 has fins 12 that facilitate agitation of the contents of vessel 10. Septum 14 is inserted into a mouth 16 of container 10. The tip 18 of the pipette is inserted through an opening 20 in the septum 14. Liquid reagent 22 is shown in the lower half of vessel 10. Displaced air 24 contaminated with contaminant gases (e.g., carbon dioxide) is shown in the upper half of the container 10.

EP 0766087 discloses a method for detecting creatinine wherein an aqueous solution containing creatinine is contacted with a dry reagent system containing a creatinine indicator at a pH above about 11.5. The high pH is provided by the dried alkaline material through its hydration by the aqueous fluid. The dry reagent is packaged with a material capable of absorbing carbon dioxide and at least a portion of ambient water vapor. The carbon dioxide absorbing material is provided in an amount sufficient to substantially suppress the production of carbonic acid in the reagent system region. The inhibition of carbonation improves the shelf life of the creatinine detection device by reducing or eliminating the neutralization of alkaline agents by in situ formed carbonic acid.

U.S. patent No. 6,218,174 discloses degassing by pushing a solution containing a gas to a sub-atmospheric pressure approximately equal to the vapor pressure of the solution and maintaining the sub-atmospheric pressure without allowing the gas to escape from the solution. The method may be carried out using a vacuum tower arrangement whereby a liquid column containing gas is pumped to a maximum physically accessible height. As long as the vacuum is coupled with a column of liquid above this height (typically about 34 feet, depending on ambient temperature and composition of the liquid), the liquid will not be drawn into the vacuum, which creates an unbalanced area above the liquid with very low pressure that releases dissolved gases.

U.S. patent No. 7,329,307 discloses a carbon dioxide removal system that includes a member having a first opening and a second opening for air flow and containing lithium hydroxide (LiOH) that is supported by the member and has an initial water content above the anhydrous level. U.S. patent No. 7,329,307 further discloses removing carbon dioxide by including a pre-hydrated LiOH adsorbent in the region with the carbon dioxide-containing air stream. The carbon dioxide is removed by the pre-hydrated LiOH adsorbent.

Therefore, it is required to extend the life of the liquid reagent as long as possible so that the entire content of the container with the liquid reagent is used up before the date of excessive deterioration of the content. It is also desirable that the liquid reagent have a useful life of at least about thirty days and preferably longer after exposure to atmospheric air surrounding the container. It is still further desirable that the pH of the liquid reagent be maintained at an appropriate level for an extended period of time. There is a further need to reduce the effect of contamination of the liquid reagent by atmospheric air surrounding the container in order to reduce the adverse effect on the assay results. It is still further desirable to eliminate the need to overfill the reagent container with additional liquid reagent to counteract the effects of atmospheric air contamination surrounding the container.

Summary of The Invention

The present invention provides devices and methods for extending the useful life of fluids used in clinical automatic analyzers. The target liquid contains material that will suffer from deterioration, which can be caused to deteriorate by reaction with contaminants present in the atmospheric air surrounding the container. The device comprises a container having a mouth (mouth), a septum inserted into the mouth of the container, the septum having an opening therein. The tip of the pipette may be inserted through an opening in the septum. The replacement air is delivered through a gas scrubber insert, typically a carbon dioxide scrubber or an oxygen scrubber. The gas scrubber insert removes gases, such as carbon dioxide or oxygen, from the replacement air and prevents contamination of the liquid to be used in the clinical automatic analyzer.

The carbon dioxide scrubber insert may be packed with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) particles that absorb carbon dioxide from the air as the air passes through the scrubber insert. The oxygen gas scrubber insert may be filled with iron (Fe) powder, which absorbs oxygen as air passes through the gas scrubber insert.

The membranes disclosed herein help to improve the service life and effectiveness of gas scrubber inserts. An air permeable membrane, typically a mesh, may be used to hold the gas scrubber material in the gas scrubber insert while allowing atmospheric air surrounding the vessel to react with the gas scrubber material.

The gas scrubber insert is positioned between the liquid in the container and the atmospheric air surrounding the container. The gas scrubber insert contains a reagent that is capable of reacting with contaminants in the atmospheric air surrounding the container, whereby one or more desired properties of the liquid in the container do not change excessively by the date the liquid is depleted. For example, if the contaminant is carbon dioxide gas and the desired property of the liquid in the container is the pH level of the liquid in the container, the reagent in the gas scrubber insert prevents the pH level of the liquid in the container from changing excessively prior to the date the liquid in the container is depleted.

Atmospheric air surrounding the vessel that displaces liquid removed from the vessel is conveyed through the gas scrubber insert to remove or at least reduce the amount of at least one contaminant present in the atmospheric air.

The gas scrubber insert described herein greatly reduces the amount of gas absorbed by the liquid in the vessel and inhibits adverse effects on the liquid in the vessel, such as lowering the pH level of the liquid in the vessel. By inhibiting the decrease in the pH of the liquid in the container, the useful life thereof can be significantly extended. The effect of contamination by atmospheric air surrounding the container on the liquid in the container and the adverse effect on the assay result caused by deterioration of the liquid in the container can be significantly reduced.

Brief description of the drawings

FIG. 1 is a side view in elevation cross-section of a conventional container of the prior art.

Fig. 2 is a side view in elevation cross-section of a container for use in the invention described herein.

Detailed Description

The term "clinical automated analyzer" as used herein refers to a medical laboratory instrument designed to rapidly measure different chemical and other properties in a large number of biological samples with minimal manual assistance. These measured properties of blood and other fluids can be used for disease diagnosis. Clinical automatic analyzers include, but are not limited to, conventional biochemical analyzers, immuno-based analyzers, and hematology analyzers, such as cell counters, hemagglutination meters. The term "clinical automated analyzer" as used herein refers to a clinical analyzer in which operator involvement in the assay processing steps is minimized. The term "on-board container" as used herein refers to a container that is mounted in a clinical automated analyzer and is capable of moving with the analyzer as the analyzer is moved.

The term "fluid" as used herein refers to a substance, such as a liquid or a gas, in the form of a continuous medium (continuum) marked by low flow resistance and tendency to assume the shape of its container. The fluids of primary interest in connection with the present invention described herein are reagents in liquid form and atmospheric air. However, the term "fluid" also includes any fluid that is adversely affected by contaminants that may be disposed of by a gas scrubber insert of the type described herein. Such fluids include, but are not limited to, liquid reagents, liquid samples, and liquid diluents. Thus, the term "liquid" includes, but is not limited to, liquid reagents, liquid samples, and liquid diluents. Liquid reagents are reagents that are present in liquid form or suspended in a liquid carrier. A liquid sample is a sample that exists in liquid form or is suspended in a liquid carrier. Liquid diluents are diluents that are present in liquid form or suspended in a liquid carrier.

The term "displaced air" as used herein refers to air from the environment outside the system that displaces liquid from the liquid container as the liquid is consumed during operation of the system. For example, when a quantity of liquid reagent is withdrawn from a container for use in the system, displaced air outside the system replaces the withdrawn quantity of liquid reagent. The term "bulk liquid reagent" as used herein refers to a reagent provided in a container for a phaseLiquid reagents for a variety of chemical reactions. For example, the stimulus liquid can be supplied in bulk liquid reagent form in a large container, wherein the stimulus liquid container is intended for about 3000 tests. Generally, ARCHITECT^®A typical immunoassay for an automated immunoassay analyzer consumes about 300 microliters of bulk liquid reagent. Because small-scale diagnostic laboratories rarely perform 3000 tests in two weeks, the challenge liquid supplied to small-scale diagnostic laboratories may deteriorate before it is completely consumed.

The term "atmospheric air" as used herein refers to a mixture of solids, liquids and gases surrounding a container containing a liquid containing a material to be subject to deterioration, e.g. reagents, samples, diluents, the target material being capable of deterioration as a result of reaction with contaminants in the gases present in the atmospheric air surrounding the container. The gases in atmospheric air are classified as either permanent gases (i.e., the gas concentration remains constant) or variable gases (i.e., the gas concentration changes over time). The permanent gas includes oxygen, nitrogen, neon, argon, helium, and hydrogen. The largest of these permanent gases is nitrogen (about 78%) and oxygen (about 21%). The balance of the permanent and variable gases (including carbon dioxide) are present in low concentrations in atmospheric air. Gases present in low concentrations are referred to as trace gases. Atmospheric air also includes sulfur, chlorofluorocarbons, dust and ice particles.

The term "immunoassay" as used herein refers to a biochemical test that measures the concentration of a substance in a biological fluid, typically serum, using the response of an antibody(s) to its antigen(s). Immunoassays utilize the specific binding of an antibody to its antigen. As used herein, a "chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay," or "chemiluminescent magnetic immunoassay," refers to a chemiluminescent label bound to an antibody or antigen. In one type of such assay, magnetic particles are coated with antibodies. The assay is aimed at finding antigens in the sample. The second antibody is labeled with a chemiluminescent label. The second antibody is not attached to magnetic microparticles. The antibody and antigen are linked in the following order: antibody-antigen-antibody-chemiluminescent label on magnetic microparticles. The magnetic particles are subsequently washed away. The amount of antibody-antigen-enzyme is measured by adding a pre-excitation liquid and an excitation liquid and measuring the light produced. This type of immunoassay produces light when bound to its substrate (i.e., a specific binding member). The chemiluminescence reaction has high sensitivity and is easy to measure. This type of immunoassay involves a non-competitive sandwich format (non-competitive sandwich format) that produces results directly proportional to the amount of analyte present in the sample. Another type of such assay involves a competitive format in which an antigen and a labeled antigen compete for the same antibody site, or an antibody and a labeled antibody compete for the same antigen site. For example, magnetic microparticles are coated with antibodies specific to the antigen. Furthermore, a reagent is added, which is a labeled antigen. The labeled antigen and the unlabeled antigen compete for the antibody sites of the magnetic particles. Light can be generated by a chemiluminescent reaction only when the labeled antigen is attached to the antibody on the microparticle. The amount of antigen in the original sample is indirectly proportional to the amount of light generated. The term "magnetic" as used herein refers to paramagnetism. The purpose of the pre-excitation liquid is to be able to release a chemiluminescent material, such as acridinium, from a conjugate that has been bound to a magnetic particle in an immunoassay. Furthermore, the pre-excitation liquid adds hydrogen peroxide and lowers the pH to a level such that no photons are emitted from the chemiluminescent material. An excitation liquid complementary to the pre-excitation liquid raises the pH back to neutral by means of an alkaline solution, e.g. sodium hydroxide, and allows hydrogen peroxide to emit photons from the chemiluminescent material.

The term "contaminant" as used herein refers to an agent that renders a substance impure, whereby the impure nature of the substance adversely affects the functional characteristics of the substance. As used herein, the terms "epoxy", "epoxy resin", and the like refer to one of a variety of resins (typically thermosetting resins) that are capable of forming a densely crosslinked polymeric structure characterized by toughness, strong adhesion, and high corrosion and chemical resistance, particularly for adhesives and surface coatings.

Clinical automated analyzers contemplated for use with the systems for treating contaminants described herein include clinical automated chemical analyzers and automated immunoassay analyzers, such as ARCHITECT^®An automated immunoassay analyzer, such as adapted to use the system for treating contaminants described herein. A representative example of such an automated immunoassay analyzer that can be adapted to use the system for treating contaminants described herein is ARCHITECT^®i2000 automated immunoassay analyzer. Such automated immunoassay analyzers are described, for example, in U.S. patent nos. 5,795,784 and 5,856,194, both of which are incorporated herein by reference. U.S. patent application publication No. 2006/0263248 a1 (incorporated herein by reference) describes another automated immunoassay analyzer that can be adapted to use the waste management system described herein. The systems described in U.S. patent application publication No. 2003/0223472 a1 (incorporated herein by reference) may also be adapted to use the systems described herein for treating pollutants. Further, the probe scrubbing apparatus described in U.S. patent application publication No. 2005/0279387 a1 (incorporated herein by reference) can be retrofitted to use the system for treating contaminants described herein. Still further, certain subsystems described in U.S. patent application serial No. 11/644,086 (filed on 22.12.2006, incorporated herein by reference) may be retrofitted to use the system for treating pollutants described herein.

As shown in fig. 2, the vessel 110 has fins 112 that facilitate agitation of the contents of the vessel 110. The septum 114 is inserted into the mouth 116 of the container 110. The tip 118 of the pipette is inserted through an opening 120 in the septum 114. Liquid reagent 122 is shown in the lower half of the container 110. The scrubbed replacement air 124 is shown in the upper half of the vessel 110.

The replacement air is conveyed through a gas scrubber insert 126, typically a carbon dioxide scrubber or an oxygen scrubber. The gas scrubber insert 126 contains gas scrubber material 128 in a reservoir 130. The gas scrubber material 128 of the gas scrubber insert 126 removes gases, such as carbon dioxide or oxygen, from the replacement air and prevents the contaminating effect on the liquid reagent. Although it is noted that the container 110 contains a liquid reagent, the devices described herein may also be used with containers containing liquid samples, liquid diluents, or other liquids. The gas scrubber insert for carbon dioxide preferably contains sodium hydroxide (NaOH) particles that absorb carbon dioxide from the air as the air passes through the gas scrubber material 128 of the gas scrubber insert 126. The gas scrubber insert for oxygen preferably contains iron powder, which absorbs oxygen from the air as it passes through the gas scrubber material 128 of the gas scrubber insert 126. The membrane 114 described herein helps to improve the service life and effectiveness of the gas scrubber insert 126. An air permeable membrane 132, typically a mesh, may be used to hold the gas scrubber material 128 in the gas scrubber insert 126 while allowing surrounding air to react with the gas scrubber material 128.

The container 110 is capable of holding a liquid. The container 110 can also receive the tip 118 of a pipette or other aspirating/dispensing device. As previously mentioned, examples of liquids that the container can hold include liquid reagents, liquid samples, and liquid diluents. Containers 110 suitable for use in the present invention include, but are not limited to, those described in U.S. Pat. nos. 6,074, 615 and 6,555,062, which are all incorporated herein by reference. The vessel described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,074, 615 and 6,555,062 includes a plurality of fins 112 that are typically used to agitate the solid phase reagent in the vessel in the manner described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,074, 615 and 6,555,062.

The diaphragm 114 can be attached to the container 110 by a friction fit (frictionfit). Representative materials that may be used to make the separator include elastomers, polyolefins, such as ethylene-octene copolymers. Commercially available materials that can be used to make the separator include polyolefin elastomers such as Engage @ 8411 ethylene-octene elastomers, available from Dow Plastics, and Engage @ 8407 ethylene-octene copolymers, available from Dow Plastics. These Polyolefin elastomers are described in the Engage @ 8411 polyofin Elastomer specifications (2009, 26/h) and Engage @ 8407 polyofin Elastomer specifications (2008, 10/6/h), which are incorporated herein by reference. Typical dimensions of a separator suitable for use herein include the following: (a) an outer diameter of 33 mm; a slit (slit) for the opening having a length of 0.35 inches, thereby giving the opening a diameter of 0.35 inches.

The tip 118 of a pipette or other aspirating/dispensing device is typically 100 mm long by 8 mm in diameter and has a volume of about 50 to about 1000 microliters. Typical materials for making the tip 118 of a pipette or other aspirating/dispensing device include thermoplastic elastomers such as PRE-ELEC TP 6735 polypropylene, PRE-ELEC TP 6735 polyethylene, all of which are available from Premix Thermoplastics inc, PO Box188, 265N Janesville St., Milton WI 53563.

Typical dimensions of a gas scrubber insert 126 suitable for use herein are as follows: inner diameter 0.54 inches; an outer diameter of 1.03 inches; and 0.86 inches high. Suitable materials for making the gas scrubber insert 126 include, but are not limited to, polypropylene, low density polyethylene. Suitable scrubber materials 128 for use as the active component of the scrubber insert 126 include NaOH, which reacts with carbon dioxide, and iron, copper, aluminum, and other metals, which react with oxygen.

The air permeable membrane 132, typically a mesh, used in the gas scrubber insert 126 may be formed of the same material as the gas scrubber insert 126. The air permeable membrane 132 has openings to optimize air flow (e.g., openings of 0.050 inches in diameter).

Scrubber systems are a diverse class of air pollution control devices that can be used to remove particles and/or gases from industrial waste streams. Traditionally, the term "scrubber" refers to a pollution control device that uses a liquid to wash unwanted contaminants from a gas stream. More recently, the term has also been used to describe systems that inject dry reagents or slurries into dirty waste streams to scrub acid gases. Scrubbers are one of the main devices to control gas emissions, especially acid gases. Dry sorbent injection involves adding an alkaline material (typically slaked lime or soda ash) to the gas stream to react with the acid gas. The adsorbent can be injected directly into several different locations. The acid gas reacts with the basic adsorbent to form a solid salt, which is removed in the particulate control device. These simple systems can only achieve limited acid gas removal efficiency. Exposing more surface area of the basic material to the acid gas may achieve higher collection efficiency. One side effect of scrubbing is that the process removes only unwanted materials from the exhaust gas in the form of solid waste or powder. If the solid waste is not of a useful use, it must be preserved or buried to prevent environmental contamination.

In the case where the undesirable contaminant is carbon dioxide, the carbon dioxide scrubber is a vessel filled with alkaline material particles, such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH). As used herein, alkaline material refers to a material having a pH in excess of 7.0. When replacement air passes through the medium, the particles absorb carbon dioxide. The effectiveness of the scrubber decreases as more particles of accessible material undergo reaction with the contaminants. Replacement of the gas scrubber insert is not necessary. When liquid reagents or other liquids, such as liquid samples, liquid diluents, have been partially or completely consumed, the container including the gas scrubber insert may be discarded. The indicator indicating the consumption of the scrubber material may be a visual indicator. A suitable visual indicator for use herein is a pH sensitive dye, such as ethyl violet.

Many kinds of gas scrubber materials 128 for carbon dioxide and oxygen are available. Some gas scrubber materials absorb both carbon dioxide and oxygen. The gas scrubber insert 126 may be provided in a kit (not shown) in a sealed enclosure (not shown). The gas scrubber insert 126 may be placed into the vessel 110 prior to mounting the membrane 114 to the vessel 110. Installation of the gas scrubber insert 126 is simple. The gas scrubber insert 126 may drop into (drop into) vessel 110. The gas scrubber insert 126 may be designed in such a way that it can only be fitted or inserted into the receptacle 110 in a single orientation, thereby preventing improper positioning of the gas scrubber insert 126 in the receptacle 110. The gas scrubber insert 126 is supported by the fins 112 in the vessel 110. In any event, the gas scrubber insert is expected to maintain the entire useful life of the liquid reagent, liquid diluent, or liquid sample. Therefore, replacement via a routine maintenance cycle is not required. The gas scrubber insert may be configured in a manner such that a visual indication is provided when the effectiveness of the gas scrubber insert 126 is reduced or when the gas scrubber material 128 is depleted. Such a color change can be useful when the problem under investigation involves a liquid reagent, a liquid diluent or a liquid sample.

Liquid reagents intended for use in the containers described herein include, but are not limited to, liquid reagents containing solid particles suspended therein. Other liquids intended for use with the containers described herein include, but are not limited to, assay-specific diluents, sample diluents, binders, and pre-treatment agents.

The replacement air is conveyed through the gas scrubber insert, thereby removing unwanted contaminants from the replacement air and preventing contaminants from contaminating liquid reagents, liquid diluents, or liquid samples used in the clinical automated analyzer. The replacement air moves through the gas scrubber material for removing gas, such as carbon dioxide or oxygen, thereby removing gas, such as carbon dioxide or oxygen, from the replacement air and preventing contamination of the liquid reagent, liquid diluent, or liquid sample. The gas scrubber insert for carbon dioxide may be packed with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) particles that absorb carbon dioxide from the air as the air passes through the gas scrubber insert. Furthermore, the gas scrubber insert for oxygen may be filled with iron powder, which absorbs oxygen as air passes through the gas scrubber insert. The membranes currently in use can help improve the service life and effectiveness of gas scrubber inserts. The air permeable mesh may be used to retain the gas scrubber material in the gas scrubber insert, but allow the surrounding air to react with the gas scrubber material. As previously mentioned, atmospheric air contains 78.08% nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen, 0.93% argon, 0.038% carbon dioxide, trace amounts of other gases. The scrubbed air is substantially free of oxygen or carbon dioxide depending on the particular requirements.

The container contains, in any event, a liquid reagent, liquid sample, or liquid diluent that reacts with at least one contaminant in the atmospheric air surrounding the container, whereby the liquid reagent, liquid sample, or liquid diluent is adversely affected by the contaminant in the atmospheric air surrounding the container. If the contaminant is an acidic contaminant, such as carbon dioxide gas, and if the liquid reagent, liquid sample or liquid diluent is alkaline, i.e. has a pH above 7.0, the gas scrubber insert should contain an alkaline material, such as sodium hydroxide.

In operation, as liquid reagent, liquid diluent, or liquid sample is drawn from the container 104, typically by aspiration, and delivered to a subsystem of a clinical automated analyzer for dispensing the liquid reagent, liquid diluent, or liquid sample, the drawn liquid reagent, liquid diluent, or liquid sample is replaced with displaced air. Replacement air (sourced as atmospheric air surrounding the container) enters the system through the opening in the septum to replace liquid reagent, liquid diluent or liquid sample drawn from the container, and then enters the gas scrubber insert where the reagent in the gas scrubber insert reacts with contaminants in the atmospheric air, such as carbon dioxide gas, thereby preventing most contaminants (such as carbon dioxide gas) from entering the liquid in the container 104. Because carbon dioxide gas does not enter the liquid in the container 104, carbon dioxide does not react with the liquid reagent, liquid diluent, or liquid sample, regardless, as a result of which the pH of the liquid reagent, liquid diluent, or liquid sample remains stable, i.e., at a pH greater than 7.0 for a relatively long period of time, e.g., up to thirty days or more. Under existing conditions, it is expected that liquid reagents will be discarded after about thirty days. Thus, it can be seen that the stability of the liquid reagent can be extended to at least about thirty days, the effect of atmospheric air surrounding the container can be greatly reduced.

The useful life of a gas scrubber material can be determined by the volume of air flowing through the scrubber, the concentration of the gas in the air, and how frequent maintenance cycles will result in replacement of the gas scrubber insert.

The following factors may be used to determine the treatment for carbon dioxide gas (CO)₂) The amount of the reagent (c):

1. assume that the volume of the container for the liquid reagent, liquid sample, or liquid diluent is about 30 milliliters (30 cubic centimeters).

2. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmospheric air surrounding the vessel was about 365 ppm.

3. One cubic meter contains 1,000,000 cubic centimeters of air or 40 moles of air, which contains 0.015 moles of carbon dioxide.

4. The air passing through the gas scrubber insert contained 0.00000045 (4.5X 10) per 30 ml volume of air^-7) Molar carbon dioxide (CO)₂）。

5．CO₂The reaction with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) requires two molecules of NaOH to form Na₂CO₃And H₂And O. Every 30 ml of air passing through the gas scrubber insert requires 9 x 10^-7Molar NaOH.

6. Since the molecular weight of NaOH is 40 g/mol, 1.8X 10 is required per 30 ml of air passing through the gas scrubber insert^-5Grams of NaOH.

7. The gas scrubber insert was estimated to be 10% efficient because (a) not all NaOH was exposed to the air stream, and (b) the gas scrubber insert required 0.0018 grams of NaOH as ten times the amount of replacement air passed through the membrane since the membrane was not gas tight.

The amount of sodium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide substitute, e.g., other alkaline material that can react with carbon dioxide, can vary as a function of the desired service life of the gas scrubber insert. The greater amount of alkaline material provides a longer life for the gas scrubber insert. Can be used for carbon dioxide gas (CO)₂) Representative examples of materials in the gas scrubber insert of (a) include, but are not limited to, sodium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, and other bases that readily react with carbon dioxide.

The following factors can be usedFor determining oxygen (O) for treatment₂) The amount of the reagent (c):

1. assume that the volume of the container for the liquid reagent, liquid sample, or liquid diluent is about 30 milliliters (30 cubic centimeters).

2. The concentration of oxygen in the atmospheric air surrounding the container was about 210,000 ppm.

3. One cubic meter contains 1,000,000 cubic centimeters of air or 40 moles of air, which contains 8.4 moles of oxygen.

4. The gas scrubber insert contained 0.00025 (2.5 × 10) per 30 ml volume of air passing through the gas scrubber insert^-4) Molar oxygen.

5. Three molecules of oxygen (O)₂) The reaction of (a) requires four molecules of iron (Fe) to produce two molecules of Fe₂O₃. 3.3X 10 per 30 ml of air passing through the gas scrubber insert is required^-4Molar iron.

6. Since the molecular weight of iron is 56 g/mol, 1.8X 10 is required per 30 ml of air^-2Grams of iron to displace the liquid in the vessel.

7. The gas scrubber insert was estimated to be 10% efficient because (a) not all of the Fe was exposed to the air stream, and (b) ten times the amount of replacement air passed through the membrane, since the membrane was not gas tight, 1.8 grams of iron was required.

The amount of iron or iron substitute, e.g., other metallic material that is reactive with oxygen, may vary as a function of the desired service life of the gas scrubber insert. The larger amount of metal material provides a longer life for the gas scrubber insert. Can be used for oxygen (O)₂) Representative examples of materials in the gas scrubber insert gas include, but are not limited to, iron, copper, aluminum, and other metallic elements that readily react with oxygen.

The gas scrubber insert described herein may be used in any liquid delivery system where atmospheric air replaces liquid removed from a vessel, whereThe liquid in the container is influenced by the particular gas in the atmospheric air surrounding the container. For example, if the liquid reagent, liquid diluent or liquid sample is subjected to oxygen (O)₂) Rather than carbon dioxide gas (CO)₂) Oxygen (O) may be used₂) A scrubber insert.

The device described herein improves the stability of the liquid reagent, liquid diluent or liquid sample, in any case, so that the lifetime of the liquid reagent, liquid diluent or liquid sample can be extended, whereby the liquid reagent, liquid diluent or liquid sample may be completely consumed before its useful life. Such an extension eliminates waste, is environmentally friendly, and improves customer satisfaction. Furthermore, the apparatus described herein may be used with any liquid container in which atmospheric air surrounding the container displaces liquid removed from the container and particular gases in the atmospheric air surrounding the container adversely affect the liquid retained in the container. Other methods of controlling the contamination of gases present in the atmospheric air surrounding the container require complex and therefore expensive environmental enclosures (envelopes) placed around the area where the liquid reagent, liquid diluent or liquid sample is stored. The improved septum may result in insertion and withdrawal forces that exceed the capacity of the aspirating/dispensing device. Furthermore, methods of overfilling reagent containers for reducing the activity of contaminating reagents are no longer necessary.

The various components mentioned and described herein, such as the container, end cap (end cap), tray (tray), fluid line (fluid line), catheter (conduit), connector (connector), wires, fittings, valves, pumps, sensors, fasteners, reagents, clinical automatic analyzers, and their individual components, are commercially available from a number of sources.

Various modifications and alterations of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention, and it should be understood that this invention is not to be unduly limited to the illustrative embodiments set forth herein.

Claims (24)

1. An automated clinical analyzer comprising a container of liquid, the liquid comprising a material that will suffer deterioration, the target material being subject to deterioration as a result of reaction with a contaminant in a gas present in atmospheric air surrounding the container, the container having a mouth, a septum inserted into the mouth, the septum having an opening therein, the container further having a gas scrubber insert inserted therein.

2. The clinical autoanalyzer according to claim 1 wherein said gas scrubber insert contains a reagent capable of reacting with said contaminants whereby the pH of said liquid is not lowered to a level that renders said liquid unusable in said clinical autoanalyzer.

3. The clinical autoanalyzer according to claim 2, wherein said reagent is an alkaline material.

4. The clinical autoanalyzer according to claim 3 wherein said basic material is selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide.

5. The clinical autoanalyzer according to claim 2, wherein said reagent is a metal.

6. The clinical autoanalyzer of claim 5 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of iron, copper and aluminum.

7. The automatic analyzer of claim 1, wherein the gas scrubber insert further comprises a gas permeable mesh.

8. The automatic analyzer of claim 1, wherein the gas scrubber insert further comprises an indicator for indicating consumption of the scrubber material.

9. The automatic analyzer of claim 8, wherein said indicator for indicating consumption of said scrubber material is a visual indicator.

10. The automatic analyzer of claim 9, wherein said visual indicator is a pH sensitive dye.

11. The clinical autoanalyzer according to claim 1 wherein said clinical autoanalyzer is a clinical autoanalyzer.

12. The clinical autoanalyzer according to claim 1, wherein said clinical autoanalyzer is an automatic immunoassay analyzer.

13. The clinical autoanalyzer according to claim 1 wherein said liquid is selected from the group consisting of a liquid reagent, a liquid diluent and a liquid sample.

14. A container for a liquid, the liquid comprising a material that will suffer deterioration, the target material being subject to deterioration as a result of reaction with a contaminant in a gas present in atmospheric air surrounding the container, the container having a mouth, a septum inserted into the mouth, the septum having an opening therein, the container further having a gas scrubber insert inserted therein.

15. The container of claim 14, wherein said gas scrubber insert contains reagents capable of reacting with said contaminants, whereby the pH of said liquid is not lowered to such an extent that said liquid is unusable in said clinical automated analyzer.

16. The container of claim 15, wherein the reagent is an alkaline material.

17. The container of claim 16, wherein said alkaline material is selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and calcium hydroxide.

18. The container of claim 15, wherein the agent is a metal.

19. The vessel of claim 18, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of iron, copper, and aluminum.

20. The container of claim 14, wherein the gas scrubber insert further comprises a gas permeable mesh.

21. The container of claim 14, wherein the gas scrubber insert further comprises an indicator for indicating consumption of the scrubber material.

22. The container of claim 21, wherein said indicator for indicating consumption of said scrubber material is a visual indicator.

23. The container of claim 22, wherein the visual indicator is a pH sensitive dye.

24. The container of claim 14, wherein the liquid is selected from the group consisting of a liquid reagent, a liquid diluent, and a liquid sample.