Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system

Abstract

This invention relates to a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) system, comprising: a pretreatment module for pretreating a sample; a liquid chromatography module for eluting and separating the pretreated sample; a mass spectrometry module for mass spectrometry analysis of the eluted sample; and a waste gas treatment module, comprising: a suction component connected to at least one of the pretreatment module, the liquid chromatography module, and the mass spectrometry module for suctioning the gas to be treated generated by the connected modules; a waste gas treatment component disposed downstream of the suction component for liquefying and absorbing volatile waste gases in the suction gas, the waste gas treatment component including a first waste gas absorption component and a second waste gas absorption component, the second waste gas absorption component being disposed downstream of the first waste gas absorption component; and a waste liquid discharge component for discharging waste liquid. This invention enables a miniaturized waste gas treatment module.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical device technology, and in particular to a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system. Background Technology

[0002] Some medical devices require large quantities of organic reagents such as methanol and acetonitrile. These organic compounds have low boiling points (for example, methanol's boiling point at normal pressure is 64.5℃) and are highly volatile. In medical devices using methanol, the concentration of methanol vapor in the air may exceed the permissible standards in various countries (e.g., 50 mg / m³ in China). 3 In such cases, this could have health effects on laboratory personnel. If the concentration of methanol in the air is too high, there is even a risk of explosion.

[0003] Current medical equipment either fails to treat the aforementioned highly volatile gases, resulting in direct emissions that cause environmental pollution and pose certain health risks, or requires the equipment to be installed in modified laboratory settings, which significantly increases the production costs for equipment manufacturers and the operating costs for laboratories. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To avoid at least some of the drawbacks of the prior art, embodiments of the present invention provide a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system that can improve the treatment of volatile waste gases.

[0005] According to the present invention, a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) system is provided, comprising:

[0006] The preprocessing module is used to preprocess the samples to be tested.

[0007] The liquid chromatography module is used for eluting and separating the pretreated test samples;

[0008] The mass spectrometry analysis module is used to perform mass spectrometry analysis on the eluted and separated test samples;

[0009] The exhaust gas treatment module includes:

[0010] A suction assembly is connected to at least one of a pretreatment module, a liquid chromatography module, and a mass spectrometry analysis module for suctioning the gas to be treated generated by the connected module.

[0011] An exhaust gas treatment assembly, located downstream of a suction assembly, is used to liquefy and absorb volatile waste gases in the suctioned gas to be treated, generating waste liquid. The exhaust gas treatment assembly includes a first exhaust gas absorption component and a second exhaust gas absorption component, the second exhaust gas absorption component being located downstream of the first exhaust gas absorption component.

[0012] Waste liquid discharge assembly, used to discharge waste liquid.

[0013] In some embodiments, the first waste gas absorption component and the second waste gas absorption component respectively include one of an atomizer, a condenser and a spray tower. The atomizer is used to generate atomized droplets to absorb waste gas, the condenser is used to condense droplets in the gas, and the spray tower is used to provide spray droplets to absorb waste gas and generate waste liquid.

[0014] In some embodiments, the first exhaust gas absorption component is an atomizer, and the second exhaust gas absorption component is a condenser; or

[0015] Both the first and second waste gas absorption components are spray towers.

[0016] In some embodiments, the exhaust gas treatment assembly further includes a third exhaust gas absorption component, which is disposed downstream of the second exhaust gas absorption component.

[0017] In some embodiments, the third waste gas absorption component is one of a condenser, a spray tower, and a waste gas adsorption chamber.

[0018] In some embodiments, the exhaust gas treatment assembly further includes a fourth exhaust gas absorption component, which is located downstream of the third exhaust gas absorption component and is an exhaust gas adsorption chamber.

[0019] In some embodiments, the first waste gas absorption component is an atomizer, the second waste gas absorption component is a condenser, the third waste gas absorption component is a spray tower, and the fourth waste gas absorption component is provided with activated carbon.

[0020] In some embodiments, the waste liquid discharge assembly includes a discharge pipeline, a waste liquid pump, and a waste liquid tank. The discharge pipeline is used to connect the waste liquid pump to a condenser and a spray tower. The waste liquid pump is used to draw waste liquid generated by the condenser and the spray tower via the discharge pipeline. The waste liquid tank is used to store the waste liquid drawn by the waste liquid pump.

[0021] In some embodiments, the atomizer is an ultrasonic atomizer.

[0022] In some embodiments, the exhaust gas treatment assembly includes at least one atomizer or spray tower; and

[0023] The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system also includes a water supply device for supplying water to at least the nebulizer or spray tower.

[0024] In some embodiments, the exhaust gas treatment assembly includes at least one spray tower, and the water supply device is used to supply water to at least the spray tower and includes:

[0025] Water supply source, used to provide water;

[0026] A water supply pipeline connects the water source and the spray tower. The pipeline includes a first switching component and a water pump. The first switching component controls the on / off state of the water supply pipeline, and the water pump, located downstream of the first switching component, draws water from the water source to the spray tower via the pipeline.

[0027] The circulating water pipeline has one end connected to the water supply pipeline between the first switching component and the water pump, and the other end connected to the spray tower. The circulating water pipeline is equipped with a second switching component, which is used to control the on / off state of the circulating water pipeline.

[0028] In some embodiments, the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system further includes:

[0029] A bypass pipeline is located downstream of the suction assembly and upstream of the exhaust port of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system. The exhaust port is used to discharge the suctioned gas to be treated or the gas treated by the waste gas treatment module; and

[0030] The third switching component is used to switch between the first state and the second state. When the third switching component is in the first state, the suction component and the exhaust gas treatment component are connected and the suction component and the bypass pipeline are disconnected. When the third switching component is in the second state, the suction component and the bypass pipeline are connected and the suction component and the exhaust gas treatment component are disconnected.

[0031] In some embodiments, the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system further includes:

[0032] The first exhaust gas concentration detection component is used to detect the first exhaust gas concentration of the gas to be treated, so as to determine whether the third switching component switches to the first state or the second state. The third switching component is configured to switch to the first state when the first exhaust gas concentration is greater than the first preset concentration, and to switch to the second state when the first exhaust gas concentration is not greater than the first preset concentration.

[0033] In some embodiments, the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system further includes:

[0034] A second exhaust gas concentration detection component is located downstream of the exhaust gas treatment assembly and is used to detect the concentration of the second exhaust gas after treatment; and

[0035] An exhaust valve is located between the second waste gas concentration detection component and the exhaust port of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system. The exhaust valve is used to open when the second waste gas concentration is not greater than the second preset concentration, so as to discharge the treated gas through the exhaust port.

[0036] In some embodiments, the suction component includes:

[0037] Suction port;

[0038] A filter element, located downstream of the suction port, is used to filter particulate matter in the gas to be treated; and

[0039] A fan, located between the filter components and the exhaust gas treatment assembly, is used to provide negative pressure for drawing in the gas to be treated.

[0040] In some embodiments, the suction port includes a first suction port, a second suction port, and a third suction port. The first suction port is connected to the pretreatment module, the second suction port is connected to the liquid chromatography module, and the third suction port is connected to the mass spectrometry analysis module.

[0041] In some embodiments, the first suction port is arranged near at least one of the cleaning tank, reagent tray, and waste bin of the pretreatment module; and / or

[0042] The second suction port is located near at least one of the reaction cell and the washing cell of the liquid chromatography module; and / or

[0043] The third suction port is located at the vacuum exhaust outlet of the mass spectrometry analysis module.

[0044] In some embodiments, at least one of the pretreatment module, the liquid chromatography module, and the mass spectrometry analysis module is disposed in the housing, and at least a portion of the exhaust gas treatment module, particularly the exhaust gas treatment components, is disposed in the housing.

[0045] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the exhaust gas treatment module, particularly the exhaust gas treatment components, is modularly connected to at least one of the pretreatment module, the liquid chromatography module, and the mass spectrometry analysis module.

[0046] Based on the above technical solution, in the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) system according to the present invention, by designing a waste gas treatment component with at least two stages of waste gas absorption to liquefy the volatile waste gas in the gas to be treated, on the one hand, the waste gas treatment module can be miniaturized, making it easy to integrate the waste gas treatment component into the LC-MS system at low cost; on the other hand, it can ensure that the gas to be treated is fully purified, and the LC-MS system only emits clean air outside the system, which can avoid the harm of waste gases such as methanol to the health of laboratory personnel and improve the safety of the LC-MS system. Attached Figure Description

[0047] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with their description, serve to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0048] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the module composition of some embodiments of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the composition of some embodiments of the waste gas treatment module of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the composition of the waste gas treatment module of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system of the present invention in some other embodiments.

[0051] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the composition of the spray tower in some embodiments of the waste gas treatment module of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system of the present invention. Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0052] 1. Suction assembly; 10. Suction port; 11. First suction port; 12. Second suction port; 13. Third suction port; 2. Waste gas treatment assembly; 21. First waste gas absorption component; 22. Second waste gas absorption component; 23. Third waste gas absorption component; 24. Fourth waste gas absorption component; 3. Exhaust port; 4. Waste liquid discharge assembly; 41. Discharge pipeline; 42. Waste liquid pump; 43. Waste liquid tank; 5. Water supply device; 50. Water supply source; 51. Water supply pipeline; 511. First switching component; 512. Water pump; 52. Circulating water pipeline; 522. Second switching component; 6. Bypass pipeline; 63. Third switching component Replacement components; 71. First exhaust gas concentration detection component; 72. Second exhaust gas concentration detection component; 73. Exhaust valve; 74. Fourth switching component; 81. Filter component; 82. Fan; 83. Flow regulation component; 9. Retreatment pipeline; 101. Atomizer; 102. Condenser; 103. Spray tower; 104. Activated carbon; 130. Tower body; 131. First opening; 132. Second opening; 133. Third opening; 134. Fourth opening; 135. Fifth opening; 100. Pretreatment module; 200. Liquid chromatography module; 300. Mass spectrometry analysis module; 400. Exhaust gas treatment module. Detailed Implementation

[0053] Various exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The descriptions of the exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative and are in no way intended to limit the invention or its application or use. The invention can be embodied in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. These embodiments are provided to make the invention thorough and complete, and to fully express the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement of components and steps, the composition of materials, numerical expressions, and values ​​set forth in these embodiments should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limiting.

[0054] The terms "first," "second," and similar words used in this invention do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different parts. Words such as "including" or "comprising" mean that the element preceding the word encompasses the element listed after it, without excluding the possibility of encompassing other elements. Terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0055] In this invention, when a specific device is described as being located between a first device and a second device, an intermediary device may or may not be present between the specific device and the first or second device. When a specific device is described as being connected to other devices, the specific device may be directly connected to the other devices without an intermediary device, or it may be not directly connected to the other devices but have an intermediary device.

[0056] All terms used in this invention (including technical or scientific terms) have the same meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains, unless otherwise specifically defined. It should also be understood that terms defined in general dictionaries should be interpreted as having meanings consistent with their meanings in the context of the relevant art, and not as idealized or highly formalized, unless expressly defined herein.

[0057] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, they should be considered part of the specification.

[0058] Based on the various embodiments of the present invention described above, in the absence of explicit denial or conflict, the technical features of one embodiment may be advantageously combined with one or more other embodiments.

[0059] During their research, the inventors discovered that most current methanol waste gas treatment devices are large-scale industrial methanol removal and recovery devices, some reaching tens of meters in height, while even the smaller ones are several meters in size. These devices are difficult to integrate into medical equipment or place next to medical equipment for methanol absorption.

[0060] To address at least one of the aforementioned problems, the present invention proposes a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) system comprising a low-cost and miniaturized waste gas treatment module that can be easily installed within or connected to the LC-MS system.

[0061] like Figure 1As shown, the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) system includes a pretreatment module 100, a liquid chromatography module 200, a mass spectrometry analysis module 300, and an exhaust gas treatment module 400. The pretreatment module 100 is used to pretreat the test sample, for example, using magnetic beads. The liquid chromatography module 200 is used to elute and separate the pretreated test sample. The mass spectrometry analysis module 300 is used to perform mass spectrometry analysis on the eluted and separated test sample. The exhaust gas treatment module 400 is used to liquefy and absorb the volatile exhaust gases generated by at least one of the pretreatment module 100, liquid chromatography module 200, and mass spectrometry analysis module 300. By treating the volatile exhaust gases generated within the LC-MS system using the exhaust gas treatment module 400, the system prevents exhaust gases from overflowing and polluting the laboratory environment, thus ensuring a clean laboratory environment.

[0062] According to the present invention, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the waste gas treatment module 400 includes: a suction component 1, which is connected to at least one of the pretreatment module 100, the liquid chromatography module 200, and the mass spectrometry analysis module 300, for suctioning the gas to be treated generated by the connected modules; a waste gas treatment component 2, which is disposed downstream of the suction component 1 and is used to liquefy and absorb the volatile waste gas in the suctioned gas to be treated to generate waste liquid, the waste gas treatment component 2 including a first waste gas absorption component 21 and a second waste gas absorption component 22, the second waste gas absorption component 22 being disposed downstream of the first waste gas absorption component 21; and a waste liquid discharge component 4, for discharging the waste liquid.

[0063] Specifically, the first waste gas absorption component 21 is the first-stage waste gas absorption, and the second waste gas absorption component 22 is the second-stage waste gas absorption. By setting two stages of waste gas absorption simultaneously, volatile waste gases can be fully liquefied and absorbed to purify the gas to be treated. It also allows for the miniaturization of the waste gas treatment module 400, enabling the waste gas treatment module 400 to be built into other connected modules or the main body of the waste gas treatment module 400 to be placed outside other connected modules. This makes the waste gas treatment of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system no longer limited to specific laboratory testing facilities, thereby reducing the production costs for equipment manufacturers and the usage costs for laboratory testing facilities.

[0064] Optionally, the volatile waste gas can be volatile organic waste gas, such as methanol, acetonitrile, etc. Some of the following examples use methanol as an example for illustration.

[0065] Optionally, the suction assembly 1 includes a suction port 10, which is connected to at least one of the pretreatment module 100, the liquid chromatography module 200, and the mass spectrometry analysis module 300.

[0066] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1As shown, the suction port 10 includes a first suction port 11, a second suction port 12 and a third suction port 13. The first suction port 11 is connected to the pretreatment module 100, the second suction port 12 is connected to the liquid chromatography module 200, and the third suction port 13 is connected to the mass spectrometry analysis module 300.

[0067] Optionally, the suction port 10 is arranged in the main exhaust gas volatilization area of ​​the connected module to specifically improve the suction efficiency of the exhaust gas treatment module 400 for volatile exhaust gases.

[0068] As one implementation, the first suction port 11 may be located near at least one of the cleaning tank, reagent tray, and waste bin of the pretreatment module 100.

[0069] As some alternative or additional implementations, the second suction port 12 may be arranged near at least one of the reaction cell and the cleaning cell of the liquid chromatography module 200.

[0070] As alternative or additional implementations, the third suction port 13 can be arranged at the vacuum exhaust outlet of the mass spectrometry analysis module 300. For example, the third suction port 13 is arranged facing the vacuum exhaust outlet, so that after the exhaust gas is extracted through the vacuum exhaust outlet, it can be promptly drawn into the exhaust gas treatment component 2 by the suction component 1 through the third suction port 13 for treatment.

[0071] By setting up multiple suction ports, all of which are located in the volatile areas of each module, the volatile waste gas of each module can be precisely suctioned through multiple channels, and the volatile waste gas can be treated in a timely manner. This avoids the volatile waste gas from mixing with other background gases in the system before suction, effectively reducing the gas flow rate of volatile waste gas and improving the waste gas absorption and treatment efficiency.

[0072] Optionally, the waste liquid discharge component 4 can be connected to a medical waste liquid channel, etc.

[0073] Optionally, the exhaust gas treatment module 400 also includes an exhaust port 3 for discharging the gas treated by the exhaust gas treatment component 2, which is connected between the suction port 10 and the exhaust port 3.

[0074] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the first waste gas absorption component 21 and the second waste gas absorption component 22 respectively include one of an atomizer 101, a condenser 102 and a spray tower 103. The atomizer 101 is used to generate atomized droplets to absorb waste gas, the condenser 102 is used to condense droplets in the gas, and the spray tower 103 is used to provide spray droplets to absorb waste gas and generate waste liquid.

[0075] Specifically, the atomizer 101 is an atomizing humidification chamber. The atomizer 101 can deliver a large number of atomized small droplets into the methanol exhaust gas. The small droplets are fully mixed with the methanol exhaust gas to absorb the methanol gas, which is beneficial to the miniaturization of the exhaust gas treatment module 400. Specifically, the spray tower 103 is a small spray tower, and its spray water volume is less than the preset value.

[0076] Alternatively, the atomizer 101 may be an ultrasonic atomizer.

[0077] Optionally, the condenser 102 can be a shell-and-tube condenser or the like. The condensation temperature of the condenser 102 can be set to 2~8℃. The condensate droplets are collected at the bottom of the condensation chamber by the cooling pipes.

[0078] Optionally, such as Figure 4 As shown, the spray tower 103 includes a tower body 130 and packing material disposed within the tower body 130. The tower body 130 includes: a first opening 131 located at the bottom of the tower body 130 for allowing the gas to be treated to enter; a second opening 132 located at the top of the tower body 130 for allowing the gas that has been absorbed by the spray water to exit; a third opening 133 located at the bottom of the tower body 130 for discharging the spray water; and a fourth opening 134 located at the top of the tower body 130 for supplying spray water to the tower body 130.

[0079] In some embodiments, the tower body 130 further includes a fifth opening 135, distinct from the third opening 133, located in the bottom region of the tower body 130, for discharging spray water.

[0080] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the first exhaust gas absorption component 21 is an atomizer 101, and the second exhaust gas absorption component 22 is a condenser 102.

[0081] Specifically, the atomizer 101 uses pure water to generate a large number of atomized droplets. These droplets are thoroughly mixed and contacted with the drawn-in waste gas. During this process, the atomized droplets rapidly absorb methanol gas. The atomized, humidified, and mixed gas then promptly enters the condenser 102 from the atomizer 101 to lower the temperature. This prevents the atomized droplets from rapidly evaporating into water vapor upon contact with the waste gas, thus preventing them from absorbing methanol. Furthermore, due to the humid air and low temperature in the condenser 102, the atomized droplets gradually condense on the condenser pipe wall while absorbing methanol gas. This causes the methanol gas to collect with the condensate to form waste liquid, which is then discharged to the outside of the equipment via the waste liquid discharge component 4. By combining the atomizer 101 and the condenser 102 for liquefying and absorbing the waste gas, the use of an ultra-low temperature condenser can be avoided, thereby achieving low cost and miniaturization of the waste gas treatment module 400. This facilitates the integration of the waste gas treatment component into a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system.

[0082] In some alternative embodiments, the first waste gas absorption component 21 and the second waste gas absorption component 22 are both spray towers 103.

[0083] Specifically, the spray tower 103 uses sprayed small droplets to absorb methanol in the waste gas, which can reduce the concentration of waste gas in the gas to be treated. The dual spray system ensures that the gas to be treated is fully purified to meet emission standards. In addition, by setting up a two-stage spray tower, the use of a large spray tower can be avoided, thereby achieving low cost and miniaturization of the waste gas treatment module 400, which facilitates the integration of the waste gas treatment components into a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system.

[0084] Optionally, the first exhaust gas absorption component 21 is an atomizer 101, and the second exhaust gas absorption component 22 is a spray tower 103.

[0085] Optionally, the first waste gas absorption component 21 is a spray tower 103, and the second waste gas absorption component 22 is a condenser 102.

[0086] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the exhaust gas treatment assembly 2 also includes a third exhaust gas absorption component 23, which is located downstream of the second exhaust gas absorption component 22.

[0087] Specifically, the third exhaust gas absorption component 23 is the third stage of exhaust gas absorption and treatment. After the first two stages of exhaust gas absorption and treatment, the exhaust gas concentration is significantly reduced. Then, the third exhaust gas absorption component absorbs the remaining volatile exhaust gas, ensuring that the exhaust gas meets the standards.

[0088] This embodiment treats volatile waste gases in the gas to be treated by a three-stage waste gas absorption method. Compared with the two-stage waste gas absorption method, it can further ensure that volatile waste gases are fully absorbed and avoid waste gas pollution to the environment. It is also beneficial to reduce the size of each waste gas absorption component to make full use of space, so that the waste gas treatment module 400 can meet the miniaturization requirements and further reduce the production and use costs of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system.

[0089] In some embodiments, the third waste gas absorption component 23 is one of the condenser 102, the spray tower 103, and the waste gas adsorption chamber.

[0090] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the exhaust gas treatment assembly 2 also includes a fourth exhaust gas absorption component 24, which is located downstream of the third exhaust gas absorption component 23 and is an exhaust gas adsorption chamber.

[0091] Specifically, the fourth waste gas absorption component 24 is the fourth stage of waste gas absorption. After the first three stages of waste gas absorption treatment, the concentration of waste gas is significantly reduced. Then, the waste gas passes through the waste gas adsorption chamber for further adsorption, ensuring that the emitted gas contains almost no methanol. Because the gas to be treated has undergone the previous treatments and then passes through the waste gas adsorption chamber, its methanol concentration is very low, which greatly extends the service life of adsorption components such as activated carbon, further reducing the production and usage costs of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system.

[0092] This embodiment treats volatile waste gases in the gas to be treated by a four-stage waste gas absorption method. Compared with the three-stage waste gas absorption method, it can ensure that the volatile waste gases are almost completely absorbed, ensuring that the discharged gas meets the standards. The location of the waste gas adsorption chamber is more flexible, which is conducive to improving the compactness of the spatial layout.

[0093] Optionally, an adsorption component, such as activated carbon or molecular sieve, is provided in the waste gas adsorption chamber.

[0094] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the first waste gas absorption component 21 is an atomizer 101, the second waste gas absorption component 22 is a condenser 102, the third waste gas absorption component 23 is a spray tower 103, and the fourth waste gas absorption component 24 is provided with activated carbon 104.

[0095] Specifically, the atomizer 101 delivers a large number of atomized droplets to the gas to be treated. The atomized droplets mix with the methanol gas in the gas to be treated to absorb the methanol gas. The atomized droplets that have absorbed the methanol and the remaining gas then enter the condenser 102 for condensation. After the temperature drops, the small droplets that condense and accumulate in the condenser 102 continue to absorb methanol gas. The remaining low-concentration methanol gas then passes through the spray tower 103, where the methanol gas is further absorbed by the spray water. At this point, the methanol concentration basically meets the national emission standards. Finally, the methanol is adsorbed by activated carbon 104, which ensures that the discharged gas is basically clean air and will not affect the human body, thus ensuring a safe and healthy working environment for the laboratory.

[0096] The waste gas treatment module 400 of this embodiment uses multiple treatment methods such as atomized droplet absorption, condensed droplet absorption, spray droplet absorption, and activated carbon adsorption. It can absorb and remove volatile waste gases from the gas to be treated using a miniaturized waste gas treatment module 400, and then discharge clean gas to the outside of the equipment. This can improve the safety of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system, ensure the cleanliness of the laboratory environment, and reduce the production and use costs of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system.

[0097] Optionally, activated carbon 104 can be installed near the exhaust port 3 of the waste liquid discharge assembly 4 to further reduce the concentration of waste gas.

[0098] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the waste liquid discharge assembly 4 includes a discharge pipeline 41, a waste liquid pump 42, and a waste liquid tank 43. The discharge pipeline 41 is used to connect the waste liquid pump 42 to the condenser 102, which serves as the second waste gas absorption component 22, and the spray tower 103, which serves as the third waste gas absorption component 23. The waste liquid pump 42 is used to draw waste liquid generated by the condenser 102 and the spray tower 103 via the discharge pipeline 41. The waste liquid tank 43 is used to store the waste liquid drawn by the waste liquid pump 42.

[0099] This embodiment uses waste liquid pump 42 to pump the waste liquid generated by condenser 102 and spray tower 103, which can transfer the saturated waste liquid containing waste gas in condenser 102 and spray tower 103 in a timely manner, avoiding the accumulation of waste liquid and affecting the liquefaction and absorption efficiency of waste gas by condenser 102 or spray tower 103.

[0100] Optionally, the waste liquid pool 43 is connected to the medical waste liquid channel.

[0101] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the exhaust gas treatment component 2 includes at least one atomizer 101 or one spray tower 103, for example, one of the first exhaust gas absorption component 21, the second exhaust gas absorption component 22 and the third exhaust gas absorption component 23 is an atomizer 101 or a spray tower 103.

[0102] Here, the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system also includes a water supply device 5 for supplying water to at least the nebulizer 101 or the spray tower 103.

[0103] In some implementations, one of the first exhaust gas absorption component 21, the second exhaust gas absorption component 22, and the third exhaust gas absorption component 23 is an atomizer 101, and another is a spray tower 103. Here, the same water supply device 5 is used to supply water to the atomizer 101 and the spray tower 103.

[0104] In some other implementations, two water supply devices 5 can be set up to supply water to the atomizer 101 and the spray tower 103 respectively.

[0105] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2As shown, the exhaust gas treatment assembly 2 includes at least one spray tower 103, for example, one of the first exhaust gas absorption component 21, the second exhaust gas absorption component 22, and the third exhaust gas absorption component 23 is the spray tower 103. The water supply device 5 is used to supply water to at least the spray tower 103 and includes a water source 50, a water supply pipeline 51, and a circulating water pipeline 52. The water source 50 is used to supply water. The water supply pipeline 51 connects the water source 50 and the spray tower 103. The water supply pipeline 51 is equipped with a first switching component 511 and a water pump 512. The first switching component 511 is used to control the on / off state of the water supply pipeline 51, and the water pump 512 is located downstream of the first switching component 511 and is used to draw water supplied by the water source 50 through the water supply pipeline 51 to the spray tower 103. One end of the circulating water pipeline 52 is connected to the water supply pipeline 51 between the first switching component 511 and the water pump 512, and the other end of the circulating water pipeline 52 is connected to the spray tower 103. The circulating water pipeline 52 is provided with a second switching component 522, which is used to control the on / off state of the circulating water pipeline 52.

[0106] Specifically, such as Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, water supply pipeline 51 connects water source 50 and fourth opening 134, and circulating water pipeline 52 connects fifth opening 135 and water supply pipeline 51. The connection point of circulating water pipeline 52 on water supply pipeline 51 is located between first switching component 511 and water pump 512. When first switching component 511 connects water supply pipeline 51 to water source 50 and second switching component 522 disconnects circulating water pipeline 52 from water supply pipeline 51, water pump 512 draws water from water source 50 through water supply pipeline 51 to fourth opening 134 to provide spray water to spray tower 103. When the first switching component 511 disconnects the water supply pipeline 51 from the water source 50 and the second switching component 522 connects the circulating water pipeline 52 to the water supply pipeline 51, the water pump 512 draws water from the spray tower 103 through the fifth opening 135 and the circulating water pipeline 52 to the fourth opening 134 for recycling. In this embodiment, the water supply device 5 supplies spray water to the spray tower 103, which can continuously supply spray water droplets for absorbing waste gas. The water supply device 5 can also realize the circulating water spraying of the spray tower 103, which can save water consumption of the spray tower 103.

[0107] Optionally, the water source 50 can be a water pipe, water tank, or water tower, etc. Optionally, both the first switching component 511 and the second switching component 522 can be electromagnetic on / off valves, etc.

[0108] Optionally, the water supply source 50 can supply water directly and circulate water simultaneously, or it can be carried out separately. For example, water can be supplied by the water supply source 50 first, then the first switching component 511 can be disconnected and the second switching component 522 can be connected to circulate water. The direct water supply and circulate water supply can be carried out alternately. Optionally, the number of cycles for circulate water supply can be preset in the spray tower 103.

[0109] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the exhaust gas treatment module 400 also includes a bypass pipe 6 and a third switching component 63. The bypass pipe 6 is located downstream of the suction assembly 1 and upstream of the exhaust port 3 of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system. The exhaust port 3 is used to discharge the suction gas to be treated or the gas treated by the exhaust gas treatment module 400. The third switching component 63 is used to switch between a first state and a second state. When the third switching component 63 is in the first state, the suction assembly 1 and the exhaust gas treatment assembly 2 are connected and the suction assembly 1 and the bypass pipe 6 are disconnected. When the third switching component 63 is in the second state, the suction assembly 1 and the bypass pipe 6 are connected and the suction assembly 1 and the exhaust gas treatment assembly 2 are disconnected.

[0110] Specifically, the third switching component 63 is located upstream of the exhaust gas treatment component 2, and the bypass pipe 6 connects the third switching component 63 and the exhaust port 3, which is located downstream of the exhaust gas treatment component 2. When exhaust gas needs to be absorbed, for example, when the exhaust gas concentration does not meet the standard or the continuous operation time of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system exceeds the preset time, the third switching component 63 is switched to the first state, and the suction port 10 is connected to the exhaust gas treatment component 2; when exhaust gas does not need to be absorbed, for example, when the exhaust gas concentration meets the standard or the continuous operation time of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system does not exceed the preset time, the third switching component 63 is switched to the second state, and the suction port 10 is connected to the bypass pipe 6.

[0111] This embodiment controls the flow path of the gas to be treated through the third switching component 63, so that the gas to be treated flows through the waste gas treatment component 2 when waste gas needs to be absorbed, and flows through the bypass pipe 6 to be directly discharged when waste gas absorption is not required. This allows for targeted purification of the gas to be treated, thereby saving energy consumption of the waste gas treatment component 2, such as saving water and electricity, and thus reducing the operating cost of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system.

[0112] Optionally, the third switching component 63 may be a solenoid directional valve, etc.

[0113] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the exhaust gas treatment module 400 also includes a first exhaust gas concentration detection component 71. The first exhaust gas concentration detection component 71 is used to detect the first exhaust gas concentration of the gas to be treated, so as to determine whether the third switching component 63 switches to the first state or the second state. The third switching component 63 is configured to switch to the first state when the first exhaust gas concentration is greater than the first preset concentration, and to switch to the second state when the first exhaust gas concentration is not greater than the first preset concentration.

[0114] In some embodiments, the first exhaust gas concentration detection component 71 may be located between the suction port 10 and the third switching component 63. The first preset concentration may be set to a national standard threshold (e.g., 50 mg / m³). 3 If the exhaust gas concentration does not meet the national standard, the exhaust gas treatment component 2 is required to absorb and treat the exhaust gas. If the exhaust gas concentration meets the national standard, it can be discharged directly.

[0115] In other embodiments, the first exhaust gas concentration detection component 71 may also be located inside at least one of the pretreatment module 100, the liquid chromatography module 200, and the mass spectrometry analysis module 300.

[0116] This embodiment uses the first waste gas concentration detection component 71 to detect the first waste gas concentration to determine the state of the third switching component 63, so that the gas to be treated can automatically flow through the bypass pipe 6 and be directly discharged when the waste gas concentration is low. This allows for targeted absorption of volatile waste gases, thereby saving energy, reducing the operating cost of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system, and improving the automation level of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system.

[0117] Optionally, the first exhaust gas concentration detection component 71 may be an exhaust gas concentration sensor or the like.

[0118] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the exhaust gas treatment module 400 also includes a second exhaust gas concentration detection component 72 and an exhaust valve 73. The second exhaust gas concentration detection component 72 is located downstream of the exhaust gas treatment component and is used to detect the second exhaust gas concentration of the treated gas. The exhaust valve 73 is located between the second exhaust gas concentration detection component 72 and the exhaust port 3 of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system, and the exhaust valve 73 is used to open when the second exhaust gas concentration is not greater than a second preset concentration, so as to discharge the treated gas through the exhaust port 3.

[0119] Specifically, the second exhaust gas concentration detection component 72 is located between the exhaust gas treatment component 2 and the exhaust port 3. The second preset concentration can be set to the national standard threshold. The exhaust valve 73 will only open when the exhaust gas concentration meets the national standard, which can prevent exhaust gas from polluting the environment and improve the safety of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system.

[0120] Optionally, the bypass pipe 6 can be connected between the third switching component 63 and the second exhaust gas concentration detection component 72, enabling dual detection of exhaust gas concentration and improving the reliability of the detection results. The bypass pipe 6 can also be connected between the third switching component 63 and the exhaust port 3. Optionally, the second preset concentration can be different from or the same as the first preset concentration, for example, both can be set to the national permissible emission standard value (e.g., 50 mg / m³). 3 Optionally, the second exhaust gas concentration detection component 72 may be an exhaust gas concentration sensor, etc.

[0121] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the exhaust gas treatment module 400 also includes a reprocessing pipeline 9. The first end of the reprocessing pipeline 9 is located between the second exhaust gas concentration detection component 72 and the exhaust valve 73, and the second end is located between the third switching component 63 and the exhaust gas treatment assembly 2. A fourth switching component 74 is provided on the reprocessing pipeline. During normal system operation, the fourth switching component 74 disconnects the reprocessing pipeline 9. If the second exhaust gas concentration does not meet the standard, the exhaust valve 73 closes, and the fourth switching component 74 reconnects the reprocessing pipeline, guiding the substandard gas back to the exhaust gas treatment assembly 2 for re-absorption and liquefaction until the second exhaust gas concentration meets the standard.

[0122] Optionally, the fourth switching component 74 may be an electromagnetic on / off valve, etc.

[0123] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the suction assembly 1 also includes a filter element 81 and a fan 82. The filter element 81 is located downstream of the suction port 10 and is used to filter particulate matter in the gas to be treated. The fan 82 is located between the filter element 81 and the exhaust gas treatment assembly 2 and is used to provide negative pressure for suctioning the gas to be treated.

[0124] In this embodiment, the suction assembly 1 is provided with a filter component 81 in front of the fan 82, which can filter the gas to be treated entering the fan 82 and prevent particulate matter from entering the air duct of the fan 82 and causing blockage.

[0125] Optionally, the filter element 81 may be a filter screen, etc.

[0126] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the exhaust gas treatment module 400 also includes

[0127] The flow regulating component 83 is located downstream of the suction port 10 and is used to regulate the gas flow rate.

[0128] Optionally, three flow regulating components 83 are provided, each corresponding to one of the three suction ports. Optionally, the flow regulating components 83 can be set with different opening degrees or damping according to the different generation rates of volatile waste gas in each module, thereby optimizing the suction effect by adjusting the suction flow rate.

[0129] In some embodiments, at least one of the pretreatment module 100, the liquid chromatography module 200, and the mass spectrometry analysis module 300 is disposed in the housing, and at least a portion of the exhaust gas treatment module 400 is disposed in the housing, for example, at least the exhaust gas treatment component 2 is disposed in the housing. Due to the at least two-stage exhaust gas absorption design of the exhaust gas treatment module 400, the exhaust gas treatment module 400, and especially the exhaust gas treatment component 2, can be compactly integrated into the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system.

[0130] In other embodiments, the exhaust gas treatment module 400 may be partially integrated into the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system and partially external to the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system.

[0131] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the exhaust gas treatment module 400 is modularly connected to at least one of the pretreatment module 100, the liquid chromatography module 200, and the mass spectrometry analysis module 300. For example, at least the exhaust gas treatment component 2 is modularly connected to at least one of the pretreatment module 100, the liquid chromatography module 200, and the mass spectrometry analysis module 300. The modular design of the exhaust gas treatment module 400 facilitates connection of the miniaturized exhaust gas treatment module 400 to a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) system, freeing the exhaust gas treatment of the LC-MS system from being limited to a specific laboratory, thereby reducing production costs for equipment manufacturers and operating costs for laboratories.

[0132] The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) system provided by this invention has been described in detail above. Specific embodiments have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this invention. These embodiments are merely illustrative and are intended to help understand the method and core ideas of this invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications to this invention without departing from its principles, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the scope of protection of the claims of this invention.

Claims

1. A liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) system, characterized in that, include: The preprocessing module (100) is used to preprocess the sample to be tested; A liquid chromatography module (200) is used to elute and separate the pretreated sample. Mass spectrometry analysis module (300) is used to perform mass spectrometry analysis on the eluted sample; The exhaust gas treatment module (400) includes: The suction assembly (1) is connected to at least one of the pretreatment module (100), the liquid chromatography module (200) and the mass spectrometry analysis module (300) for suctioning the gas to be treated generated by the connected module; An exhaust gas treatment component (2) is disposed downstream of the suction component (1) and is used to liquefy and absorb volatile exhaust gases in the suctioned gas to be treated to generate waste liquid. The exhaust gas treatment component (2) includes a first exhaust gas absorption component (21) and a second exhaust gas absorption component (22), the second exhaust gas absorption component (22) being disposed downstream of the first exhaust gas absorption component (21). Waste liquid discharge assembly (4) is used to discharge the waste liquid.

2. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first waste gas absorption component (21) and the second waste gas absorption component (22) respectively include one of an atomizer (101), a condenser (102) and a spray tower (103). The atomizer (101) is used to generate atomized droplets to absorb waste gas, the condenser (102) is used to condense droplets in the gas, and the spray tower (103) is used to provide spray droplets to absorb waste gas and generate waste liquid.

3. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first exhaust gas absorption component (21) is an atomizer (101), and the second exhaust gas absorption component (22) is a condenser (102); or Both the first waste gas absorption component (21) and the second waste gas absorption component (22) are spray towers (103).

4. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The exhaust gas treatment component (2) further includes a third exhaust gas absorption component (23), which is located downstream of the second exhaust gas absorption component (22).

5. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The third waste gas absorption component (23) is one of the following: condenser (102), spray tower (103), and waste gas adsorption chamber.

6. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, The waste gas treatment component (2) further includes a fourth waste gas absorption component (24), which is located downstream of the third waste gas absorption component (23) and is a waste gas adsorption chamber.

7. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first waste gas absorption component (21) is the atomizer (101), the second waste gas absorption component (22) is the condenser (102), the third waste gas absorption component (23) is the spray tower (103), and the fourth waste gas absorption component (24) is provided with activated carbon (104).

8. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The waste liquid discharge assembly (4) includes a discharge pipeline (41), a waste liquid pump (42), and a waste liquid tank (43). The discharge pipeline (41) is used to connect the waste liquid pump (42) to the condenser (102) and the spray tower (103). The waste liquid pump (42) is used to draw waste liquid generated by the condenser (102) and the spray tower (103) via the discharge pipeline (41). The waste liquid tank (43) is used to store the waste liquid drawn by the waste liquid pump (42).

9. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The atomizer (101) is an ultrasonic atomizer.

10. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system according to any one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that, The exhaust gas treatment assembly (2) includes at least one of the atomizers (101) or the spray tower (103); and The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system also includes a water supply device (5) for supplying water to at least the nebulizer (101) or the spray tower (103).

11. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system according to claim 10, characterized in that, The exhaust gas treatment assembly (2) includes at least one of the spray towers (103), wherein the water supply device (5) is used to supply water to at least the spray tower (103) and includes: Water supply source (50), used to provide water; A water supply pipeline (51) connects the water source (50) and the spray tower (103). The water supply pipeline (51) is equipped with a first switching component (511) and a water pump (512). The first switching component (511) controls the on / off state of the water supply pipeline (51). The water pump (512) is located downstream of the first switching component (511) and is used to pump water supplied by the water source (50) through the water supply pipeline (51) to the spray tower (103). A circulating water pipeline (52) is provided, one end of which is connected to the water supply pipeline (51) between the first switching component (511) and the water pump (512), and the other end of the circulating water pipeline (52) is connected to the spray tower (103). A second switching component (522) is provided on the circulating water pipeline (52), and the second switching component (522) is used to control the opening and closing of the circulating water pipeline (52).

12. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that, Also includes: A bypass pipeline (6) is located downstream of the suction assembly (1) and upstream of the exhaust port (3) of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system. The exhaust port (3) is used to discharge the suction gas to be treated or the gas treated by the waste gas treatment module (400). and The third switching component (63) is used to switch between the first state and the second state. When the third switching component (63) is in the first state, the suction component (1) and the exhaust gas treatment component (2) are connected and the suction component (1) and the bypass pipeline (6) are disconnected. When the third switching component (63) is in the second state, the suction component (1) and the bypass pipeline (6) are connected and the suction component (1) and the exhaust gas treatment component (2) are disconnected.

13. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system according to claim 12, characterized in that, Also includes: The first exhaust gas concentration detection component (71) is used to detect the first exhaust gas concentration of the gas to be treated, so as to determine whether the third switching component (63) switches to the first state or the second state. The third switching component (63) is configured to switch to the first state when the first exhaust gas concentration is greater than the first preset concentration, and to switch to the second state when the first exhaust gas concentration is not greater than the first preset concentration.

14. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that, Also includes: A second exhaust gas concentration detection component (72) is located downstream of the exhaust gas treatment assembly and is used to detect the second exhaust gas concentration of the treated gas; and An exhaust valve (73) is provided between the second waste gas concentration detection component (72) and the exhaust port (3) of the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system, and the exhaust valve (73) is used to open when the second waste gas concentration is not greater than the second preset concentration, so as to discharge the treated gas through the exhaust port (3).

15. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that, The suction assembly (1) includes: Suction port (10); A filter element (81), located downstream of the suction port (10), is used to filter particulate matter in the gas to be treated; and A fan (82) is provided between the filter element (81) and the exhaust gas treatment assembly (2) to provide negative pressure for drawing the gas to be treated.

16. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system according to claim 15, characterized in that, The suction port (10) includes a first suction port (11), a second suction port (12) and a third suction port (13). The first suction port (11) is connected to the pretreatment module (100), the second suction port (12) is connected to the liquid chromatography module (200), and the third suction port (13) is connected to the mass spectrometry analysis module (300).

17. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system according to claim 16, characterized in that, The first suction port (11) is arranged near at least one of the cleaning tank, reagent tray, and waste bin of the pretreatment module (100); and / or The second suction port (12) is arranged near at least one of the reaction cell and the cleaning cell of the liquid chromatography module (200); and / or The third suction port (13) is located at the vacuum exhaust outlet of the mass spectrometry analysis module (300).

18. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that, At least one of the pretreatment module (100), the liquid chromatography module (200) and the mass spectrometry analysis module (300) is disposed in the housing, and at least a portion of the exhaust gas treatment module (400), in particular the exhaust gas treatment component (2), is disposed in the housing.

19. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry system according to any one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that, At least a portion of the exhaust gas treatment module (400), particularly the exhaust gas treatment component (2), is modularly connected to at least one of the pretreatment module (100), the liquid chromatography module (200), and the mass spectrometry analysis module (300).

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