PRETREATMENT APPARATUS FOR CHEMICAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

In a pretreatment apparatus for transferring and mixing a specimen liquid and a reagent in a reagent reservoir, comprising containers for holding the specimen liquid and the reagent, flow paths connecting the containers in series, and a dialysis flow path including a dialysis membrane facing to the flow path, the mixing is brought about by transferring the liquid from the containers to the flow paths and a return by stoppage of transferring the liquid, and subsequently the liquid is made flow into the dialysis flow path.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an oblique projection view of a pretreatment apparatus for chemical analysis as an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a combination of upper and cross sectional views of a reagent reservoir of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a liquid transfer system of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a combination of cross sectional views of a substantial part of the reagent reservoir of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a combination of cross sectional views of another substantial part of the reagent reservoir of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a combination of cross sectional views of the dialysis flow path of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a combination of cross sectional views of the dialysis flow path of the embodiment as seen in another direction.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart of protocol of pretreatment for protein mass spectrometry.

FIG. 9 is a combination of upper view of the reagent reservoir of the embodiment, and cross sectional views of substantial parts of the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a block view for explaining a pretreatment process of the embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a block view for explaining a pretreatment process of the embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a block view for explaining a pretreatment process of the embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a block view for explaining a pretreatment process of the embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a block view for explaining a pretreatment process of the embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a block view for explaining a pretreatment process of the embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a combination of upper and cross sectional views of the reagent reservoir as another embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a combination of upper and cross sectional views of the reagent reservoir as another embodiment.

Claims

1. A pretreatment apparatus for transferring and mixing a specimen liquid and a reagent in a reagent reservoir, comprising containers for holding the specimen liquid and the reagent, flow paths connecting the containers in series, and a dialysis flow path including a dialysis membrane facing to the flow path, wherein the mixing is brought about by transferring the liquid from the containers to the flow paths and a return by stoppage of transferring the liquid, and subsequently the liquid is made flow into the dialysis flow path.

2. The pretreatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a series in order of a specimen hold container for holding the specimen, a reduction container for holding the reagent for reduction, an alkylation container for holding the reagent for alkylation, the dialysis flow path, an enzyme digestion container for holding the reagent of enzyme and a specimen receiving container for receiving the specimen after the enzyme digestion is arranged in the reagent reservoir.

3. The pretreatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein cross sections of the containers decrease vertically downward, and the flow paths are connected to bottoms of the containers.

4. The pretreatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flow path is connected to a bottom of first one of the containers, and to a container wall surface of subsequent second one of the containers.

5. The pretreatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flow path is connected to first one of the containers, and to a container wall surface of subsequent second one of the containers at a position higher than a height of the liquid in the second one of the containers.

6. The pretreatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flow path is connected to first one of the containers, and to a container wall surface of subsequent second one of the containers with a connecting direction vertically downward with respect to the container.

7. The pretreatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flow path is connected to the dialysis membrane perpendicularly.

8. The pretreatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a demineralization is performed in the dialysis flow path.

9. A pretreatment apparatus for transferring a specimen liquid and a reagent so that the specimen liquid and the reagent are mixed with each other, comprising: a first container for receiving the specimen liquid and the reagent,a second container for receiving a mixture of the specimen liquid and the reagent,a flow path extending between the first and second containers to be fluidly communicated with each other, anda pressure apply port fluidly connected to one of the first and second containers to supply a gaseous matter into the one of the first and second containers and to discharge the gaseous matter from the one of the first and second containers so that a pressure in the one of the first and second containers is differentiated from a pressure in the other one of the first and second containers to make the specimen liquid and the reagent flow in at least a part of the flow path.

10. The pretreatment apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the pressure apply port is capable of setting the pressure in the one of the first and second containers higher than the pressure in the other one of the first and second containers to make the specimen liquid and the reagent flow from the one of the first and second containers into the flow path, and setting the pressure in the one of the first and second containers lower than the pressure in the other one of the first and second container to make the specimen liquid and the reagent flow into the one of the first and second containers from the flow path.

11. The pretreatment apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a supplemental port fluidly connected to the other one of the first and second containers to allow the gaseous matter to flow into the other one of the first and second containers when the pressure apply port discharges the gaseous matter from the one of the first and second containers and to allow the gaseous matter to flow out of the other one of the first and second containers when the pressure apply port supplies the gaseous matter into the one of the first and second containers.

12. The pretreatment apparatus according to claim 11, wherein both of the pressure apply port and the supplemental port are capable of being kept closed during a common time period to prevent the pressure in the one of the first and second containers and the pressure in the other one of the first and second containers from being changed so that the specimen liquid and the reagent are prevented from flowing in the at least a part of the flow path.

13. The pretreatment apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the at least a part of the flow path includes a dialysis membrane through which the specimen is demineralized.

14. The pretreatment apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a syringe pump fluidly connected to the pressure apply port and capable of being driven forward and backward to supply the gaseous matter into the one of the first and second containers and discharge the gaseous matter from the one of the first and second containers.

15. The pretreatment apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the second container is capable of receiving another reagent to be mixed with the mixture of the specimen liquid and the reagent, and the flow path opens to the second container at a position vertically higher than a bottom of the second container so that an upper surface of the another reagent is prevented from reaching the position.

16. The pretreatment apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the flow path opens to a bottom of the first container.

17. The pretreatment apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the pressure apply port is capable of at least one of urging the gaseous matter into the one of the first and second containers and sucking the gaseous matter from the one of the first and second containers to differentiate the pressure in the one of the first and second containers from the pressure in the other one of the first and second containers.