Microorganism inspection device and method

Abstract

The invention comprises: a stirring and mixing unit for stirring and mixing the sample solution in a batch sample container; an excitation light source for irradiating the excitation light to the irradiated surface of the sample solution in a vertical direction; a light receiving unit arranged in the lateral direction of the sample solution; and a control unit for calculating the amount of microorganisms contained in the sample in the sample solution.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a ballast water inspection device and method, and in particular to an inspection device and method suitable for detecting microorganisms such as plankton contained and living in ballast water. Background Art

[0002] A ship without cargo on board carries ballast water for stability while sailing, and discharges the ballast water in the sea area loaded with cargo.

[0003] Ballast water is usually discharged to a different sea area from the one it was loaded in. Therefore, microorganisms such as plankton and bacteria contained in the ballast water are transported to sea areas other than their original habitats, which may damage the ecosystem.

[0004] In order to deal with such problems, international rules related to the regulation of ballast water were formulated, and the "International Convention on the Regulation and Management of Ballast Water and Sediments Carried on Ships (Ballast Water Management Convention)" was adopted and came into effect.

[0005] The "Guidelines on Ballast Water Sampling (G2)" associated with the above-mentioned Ballast Water Management Treaty stipulates the allowable number of microorganisms contained and living in ballast water discharged from ships in the "Ballast Water Discharge Criteria (D-2)" according to the minimum size (minimum diameter) of microorganisms. For example, for organisms with a minimum size (minimum diameter) of 50 μm or more (hereinafter referred to as "L-size organisms"), the limit is less than 10 / m 3 For microorganisms with a minimum size (minimum diameter) of 10 μm or more and less than 50 μm (hereinafter referred to as "S-size organisms"), the limit is less than 10 per ml.

[0006] As a method for confirming whether the discharge standard is met when discharging the ballast water, there is a method of passing seawater drawn by a water pump through a circulation tank to perform image measurement (for example, Patent Document 1). As another means, there is a method of passing seawater drawn by a water pump through a filter unit with different meshes to make the microorganisms on the filter emit light to count the microorganisms (for example, Patent Document 2). In addition, as another means, there is a microorganism inspection device that uses a batch measurement unit to check the number of microorganisms (for example, Patent Document 3).

[0007] The microorganism inspection device described in Patent Document 1 comprises: a staining section that stains organisms having living cells present in a liquid specimen while causing the specimen to flow; a concentrating section that causes the stained specimen to flow and concentrates the specimen in a manner that increases the concentration of the organisms; an individual measuring section that obtains image information of individuals of the organisms contained in the concentrated specimen; and a control unit that measures the organisms based on the individual image information output by the individual measuring section.

[0008] Thus, it is possible to perform the steps of staining organisms in the liquid of the specimen, concentrating organisms in the liquid, obtaining information of organisms in the liquid, etc. in a process manner. Therefore, compared with the method of performing each step in a batch manner, the waiting time for a part of the specimen that has completed one step to enter the next step can be greatly shortened or set to zero, and stable information on the life and death of organisms can be obtained by preventing the staining state from deteriorating during the waiting time.

[0009] In addition, the microorganism inspection device described in Patent Document 2 comprises: a process of passing seawater through a filter unit formed by three filters with different mesh sizes arranged in series; a process of producing any one of coloration, luminescence and fluorescence of microorganisms captured and survived by the filters; and a process of detecting any one of coloration, luminescence and fluorescence and counting the number of microorganisms in ballast water or seawater through image analysis.

[0010] This makes it possible to capture microorganisms of different sizes in stages, and as a result, it is possible to quickly determine whether or not the permissible remaining standard restricted by the standard for each size is satisfied.

[0011] Furthermore, the microorganism inspection device described in Patent Document 3 adds a sample and a fluorescent staining reagent to a batch sample container formed of a light-transmitting material, stirs and mixes the sample solution, irradiates it with light from a light source, and calculates the amount of microorganisms contained in the sample in the sample solution.

[0012] This makes it possible to detect and measure the amount of microorganisms in the ballast water simply and in a short time with high accuracy.

[0013] Prior art literature

[0014] Patent Literature

[0015] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-85898

[0016] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-135582

[0017] Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-42463 Summary of the invention

[0018] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0019] The microorganism inspection device described in Patent Document 1 is a device that sequentially passes seawater drawn by a water pump to various processes, which makes the device large and may increase the manufacturing cost. Moreover, although the waiting time is shortened by passing water to various processes sequentially, it may take at least several hours to complete the measurement.

[0020] The microorganism inspection device described in Patent Document 2, like the technique described in Patent Document 1, sequentially passes seawater drawn up by a water pump to various processes, which may increase the size of the device and the manufacturing cost.

[0021] The microorganism inspection device described in Patent Document 3 is provided in such a manner that the light receiving portion has a light receiving surface arranged at an angle orthogonal to the excitation light, and therefore uses a plurality of optical system components such as a parallel light conversion unit, a relay lens, a slit, and a focusing lens. In addition, since the light source portion is provided on the side of the sample container and the light receiving portion is provided on the front side or the back side of the sample container, the area for providing the light source portion and the light receiving portion becomes larger when viewed from above, and thus the body of the inspection device may become larger.

[0022] The technical object of the present invention is to provide a microorganism inspection device that can reduce the number of parts to achieve a reduction in manufacturing cost, and can also miniaturize the inspection device, and further can suppress uneven irradiation of excitation light from a light source to improve inspection accuracy.

[0023] Means for solving problems

[0024] In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the present invention provides a microorganism inspection device for determining the amount of microorganisms in a sample solution, comprising: a stirring and mixing unit, which adds a sample and a fluorescent dye reagent to a batch sample container formed of a material that transmits light to stir and mix the sample solution; an excitation light source, which comprises a light source that stirs the sample solution while irradiating the excitation light in a vertical direction to the irradiated surface of the sample container through the stirring and mixing unit; a light receiving unit, which is arranged in the lateral direction of the sample container and detects light that is fluorescently emitted by the excitation light from the excitation light source; and a control unit, which converts the light detected by the light receiving unit into an electrical signal to detect the number of luminescence, and calculates the amount of microorganisms contained in the sample in the sample container based on the number of luminescence.

[0025] In addition, the excitation light source may be arranged above or below the sample container.

[0026] Furthermore, a reflecting member may be provided in the sample container, the excitation light source may be arranged on the side of the sample container, and the excitation light emitted from the excitation light source may be reflected by the reflecting member and irradiated onto the irradiated surface in a vertical direction.

[0027] In addition, a light guide rod may be provided between the excitation light source and the irradiated surface.

[0028] Furthermore, a light shielding plate may be provided on the opposite side of the excitation light source across the irradiated surface.

[0029] Thus, compared with the case of static measurement without stirring, the microorganisms emit light brightly in a very short time, and the amount of microorganisms in the ballast water can be measured simply and in a short time. Moreover, since the device of the present invention is a batch type, the device can be miniaturized and the manufacturing cost is also cheap. In addition, compared with the existing structure, the number of components of the optical system can be reduced, so the device can be further miniaturized and the manufacturing cost can be cheap. In addition, since the excitation light is irradiated in a direction perpendicular to the flow of the sample solution, it is difficult to be affected by the water flow, and the uneven irradiation can be suppressed to improve the accuracy of the detection.

[0030] Furthermore, since the excitation light source is disposed above or below the sample container, the number of components disposed around the sample container or the measurement unit can be reduced in plan view, thereby making the device more compact and reducing the manufacturing cost.

[0031] Furthermore, since the excitation light source is arranged on the side of the sample container, the excitation light source can be freely arranged. In addition, since the excitation light is irradiated in a direction perpendicular to the flow of the sample solution, it is difficult to be affected by the flow, and uneven irradiation can be suppressed to improve the detection accuracy.

[0032] Furthermore, since the light guide rod is provided between the excitation light source and the irradiated surface, the irradiated surface can be reliably irradiated with the excitation light from the excitation light source, and the detection accuracy can be further improved.

[0033] Furthermore, even when there is no cover or the like, measurement can be performed without causing glare, and further, the vicinity of the measurement range of the microorganisms can be reliably irradiated with the excitation light.

[0034] Effects of the Invention

[0035] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the number of components and thereby reduce manufacturing costs, and to reduce the size of an inspection device, thereby suppressing uneven irradiation of excitation light from a light source and improving inspection accuracy. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Figure 1 It is a perspective view showing the entirety of a microorganism inspection device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 2 It is a diagram showing the electrical control structure of the inspection device according to the present embodiment.

[0038] Figure 3 It is a side view of the measuring unit of this embodiment.

[0039] Figure 4 The diagram shows an example of the shape of the aperture.

[0040] Figure 5It is a diagram showing the measurement flow of this embodiment.

[0041] Figure 6 It is a side view of a measuring unit according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 7 It is a side view of a measuring unit according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 8 It is a side view of a measuring unit according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Fig. 9 It is a side view of a measuring unit according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Fig.10 It is a side view of a measuring unit according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Fig.11 It is a side view of a measuring unit according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Fig.12 It is a schematic top cross-sectional view of a measuring unit of the prior art.

[0048] Fig.13A This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a structure in which a screw hole is opened in a flat plate of a predetermined thickness as one embodiment of a parallel light conversion mechanism.

[0049] Fig. 13B This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a structure in which a convex lens is provided on the front surface of an LED light source as one embodiment of a parallel light conversion unit.

[0050] Fig.14 It is a diagram showing a detection method in a conventional inspection device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] In order to explain the features of the present invention, first, the outline of the prior art described in Patent Document 3 will be described. Fig.12 It is a schematic plan cross-sectional view of a measuring unit in the prior art.

[0052] In the prior art, there are provided a batch type sample container 105 formed of a transparent material (e.g., glass, quartz, acrylic resin, etc.) that transmits light, and a measuring unit 106 that optically counts the number of microorganisms in the sample container 105. In order to stir the sample solution S in the sample container 105, a rotor 107 is provided in the sample container 105. The rotor 107 is configured to be rotationally driven by a stirrer provided in a main body (not shown).

[0053] Fig.12The size of the inspection device shown is formed to be 300 mm in width, 300 mm in depth, 100 mm in height, and weighs about 2 to 4 kg. Therefore, it can be stored in a hand-held suitcase, a backpack (not shown), etc. for transportation, and can be measured on a ship or outdoors.

[0054] The batch sample container 105 made of a transparent material that transmits light is formed into a prism shape with a bottom surface of 50 mm×50 mm and a height of 60 mm, and the internal volume when the water level is 40 mm is set to 100 ml (milliliters). The sample container 105 is not limited to such a prism shape, and can be cylindrical or cubic as long as the internal volume can be ensured to be about 100 ml (milliliters).

[0055] The measuring unit 106 includes a sample container storage unit 109 that stores and holds the sample container 105, a light source unit 113 that irradiates excitation light to the sample container 105, and a light receiving unit 119 that uses the excitation light irradiated by the light source unit 113 to dye the luminescent reagent and observe the microorganisms floating in the sample container 105. The light receiving unit 119 counts the number of microorganisms in the sample solution S and is electrically connected to a CPU (not shown) that performs information processing operations such as measurement results and statistical processing operations.

[0056] The sample container storage section 109 is formed of holding plates 108 a and 108 b surrounding at least two surfaces of the sample container 105 , and stores and holds the sample container 105 so as not to block the irradiation of light from the light source section 113 .

[0057] And, if Fig.12 As shown, the light source unit 113 is arranged in such a manner that the excitation light of the normal line P is incident on the irradiated surface G of the sample container 105. The light source unit 113 includes: an LED light source 110, which is arranged near the sample container storage unit 109; a parallel light conversion unit 111, which is arranged on the front surface of the LED light source 110 and converts diffuse light into parallel light; and an excitation filter 112, which irradiates the sample container 105 with the excitation light consisting of slit-shaped parallel light.

[0058] FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the parallel light conversion unit 111 . Fig.13A The example shown is formed by forming a threaded hole 132 of a predetermined diameter on a flat plate 131 of a predetermined thickness as the parallel light conversion unit 111, and the thickness L of the flat plate 131 and the aperture of the threaded hole are appropriately set in accordance with the optical path length. As a result, the scattered light at an incident angle θ emitted from the LED light source 110 is converted into parallel light when passing through the threaded hole 132. Fig.13AIn the example shown, the optimum conditions of θ and L are determined by experiments on the SN ratio. For example, if M3 (outer diameter of the threaded hole) × 0.5 (pitch) is used, θ is optimally 9.5° and L is optimally 15 mm.

[0059] Fig. 13B The parallel light conversion unit 111 shown is provided with a convex lens 133 on the front surface of the LED light source 110 , and the scattered light emitted from the LED light source 110 is converted into parallel light when passing through the convex lens 133 and emitted to the outside.

[0060] The light receiving unit 119 is provided so that the light receiving surface F is arranged at an angle orthogonal to the excitation light from the normal line P of the light source unit 113. In addition, the light receiving unit 119 includes: a detector 114 arranged so as to receive fluorescence with an optical axis orthogonal to the excitation light irradiated from the LED light source 110 to the sample container 105; a light receiving filter 115 arranged in front of the detector 114; a focusing lens 116 arranged in front of the light receiving filter 115; a slit 117 arranged in front of the focusing lens 116; and a relay lens 118 provided in the gap between the slit 117 and the sample container 105, and used to excite the fluorescent substance contained in the microorganism and converge the fluorescence emitted thereby to form an image.

[0061] Here, in the present inspection device, if Fig.12 As described above, since the rotor 107 rotates on the bottom surface of the sample container 105, the sample solution S rotates substantially in a direction along the plane of the bottom surface. Therefore, the measurement range is usually set to be vertically long so that the number of microorganisms can be efficiently detected according to the rotation direction of the sample solution S.

[0062] Fig.14 1 is a diagram showing a detection method in a conventional inspection device. The measurement range 140 is set to be vertically long, and specifically, the fluorescent light emitted by organisms passing through a range of 10 mm in height and 1 mm in width is detected. Due to such a configuration, in the conventional inspection device, in order to cover the entire range of the measurement range 140 of 10 mm in height, the LED light source 110 is set at three locations. In order to detect the light from the part to be observed among the light from these three locations, an optical system such as a focusing lens 116, a slit 117, and a relay lens 118 is set in the light receiving unit. Therefore, in the conventional technology, it is necessary to set many optical system components as the light source unit 113 and the light receiving unit 119 around the sample container 105, and the inspection device as a whole may be enlarged.

[0063] Based on these, embodiments of the present invention will be described below. Figure 1 It is a perspective view showing the entirety of a microorganism inspection device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0064] The inspection device 1 of the present embodiment comprises: a main body 2, which has a control mechanism such as a CPU substrate built in, and performs processing operations such as measurement results; an operating unit 3, which is provided together with the main body 2 and has operating buttons, etc.; and a display unit 4, which is used to display measurement results, etc. The display unit 4 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal panel, etc. As the operating unit 3, it is provided with a power button 3a, a measurement start button 3b, an external output button 3c, and a setting button 3d. Then, by pressing the power button 3a, the switching control of the on and off is performed, and by pressing the measurement start button 3b, the measurement is started. In addition, by pressing the external output button 3c, data is transmitted to an external printer or personal computer, and by pressing the setting button 3d, it is possible to switch the measurement type, change the threshold setting, and change the measurement time setting, etc., such as the setting of the size of the microorganism to be measured.

[0065] In addition, the main body 2 is provided with a measuring unit 6, which accommodates a batch sample container 5 and optically counts the number of microorganisms in the sample solution S in the sample container 5. The sample container 5 is formed of a transparent material such as glass, quartz, acrylic resin, etc., and is configured to transmit light. A rotor 7 is accommodated in the sample container 5, and the sample solution S is stirred by the rotor 7. The rotor 7 is accommodated in the sample container 5 together with the sample solution S and the luminescent reagent, and is closed by a cover 30. Moreover, when the sample container 5 is accommodated in the measuring unit 6, it is configured to be driven to rotate by a stirrer 27 built in the measuring unit 6.

[0066] Figure 1 The inspection device 1 shown is formed in a size that can be stored in a hand-held suitcase or the like and carried. Therefore, the inspection device can be carried and measurement can be performed inside a ship or outdoors.

[0067] The sample container 5 is formed into a prism shape with a bottom surface of 50.5 mm×51.5 mm and a height of 67 mm, and the capacity is set to about 100 ml when the water level is 43 mm. In this embodiment, the sample container 5 is formed into a prism shape, but it can also be formed in other shapes such as a cylinder. However, in order to facilitate measurement, it is preferably set to a size that can ensure a capacity of about 100 ml.

[0068] Furthermore, based on Figure 2 The electrical control structure of the inspection device 1 of this embodiment is described. A CPU substrate 23 that receives power supply from an AC power supply 21 and a secondary battery 22 is centrally arranged in the housing 20 forming the main body 2. The CPU substrate 23 analyzes the output signal converted from light to electricity by the detector 14, or determines whether it is above an arbitrary brightness range, or counts pulses of a signal of an arbitrary brightness, or performs on-off control of the LED light source 10. An AC / DC converter 24 is arranged between the AC power supply 21 and the CPU substrate 23.

[0069] The detector 14 , the LED light source 10 , a RAM 25 serving as a storage unit for reading and writing, and a ROM 26 serving as a storage unit for reading only are electrically connected to the CPU substrate 23 .

[0070] Furthermore, the CPU board 23 is connected with a stirrer 27 for rotating the rotor 7 by magnetic force, a display unit 4 formed by a liquid crystal panel, etc., a fan 28 for cooling control equipment such as the CPU board 23, and an external output terminal 29 such as RS-232C.

[0071] Next, based on Figure 3 The configuration of the measuring unit 6 according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 3 It is a side view of the measuring unit 6 of the present embodiment. A sample solution S and a rotor 7 are placed in the sample container 5, and the rotor 7 can be rotated by the stirrer 27 provided in the measuring unit 6. The light source unit 13 is arranged on the bottom portion of the sample container 5, and an excitation filter 12 is provided on the front portion of the LED light source 10, and an aperture 11 is also provided on the front surface of the excitation filter 12. As the excitation filter 12, a bandpass filter can be used. The shape of the aperture will be described later. The light receiving unit 19 is provided on the side portion of the sample container 5, and includes a detector 14 and a light receiving filter 15. As the detector 14, a photomultiplier tube or the like can be used, and the photomultiplier tube is configured to receive fluorescence after the light irradiated from the light source unit 13 to the sample solution S in the sample container 5 irradiates the microorganism. It is preferable to use blue as the color of the LED light source 10.

[0072] Since the rotor 7 is arranged on the bottom surface of the sample container 5, when the rotor 7 is rotated by the stirrer 27, the flow of water is mainly stirred in the horizontal direction of the bottom surface. Therefore, in the prior art, the excitation light is irradiated from a direction parallel to the flow of water, but in this embodiment, the excitation light is irradiated from a direction perpendicular to the flow of water. Therefore, it is not easily affected by the flow of water, and uneven irradiation can be suppressed to detect the number of microorganisms with higher accuracy.

[0073] Figure 4 Examples of the shape of the aperture 11 are shown, aperture A is circular, aperture B is a shape having an arc portion such as an ellipse, an oblong, or a rounded rectangle, aperture C is a quadrilateral, and aperture D is a rectangular shape, and they are used separately according to the purpose.

[0074] The excitation light excited by the LED light source 10 is cut off unnecessary wavelengths by the excitation filter 12, and then the shape of the light beam is adjusted by the aperture 11. This can reduce the variation in the amount of fluorescent light emitted at the site through which the microorganisms pass.

[0075] In this embodiment, compared with the prior art, the number of optical system components on the light source part 13 side and the light receiving part 19 side can be reduced, and the optical system can be simplified. Specifically, the number of LED light sources 10 can be reduced from 6 to 1, and the number of excitation filters 12 can be reduced from 2 to 1. Regarding the size of the LED light source 10, the diameter can be reduced from 25 mm to 12.5 mm, which is half the size. For the glass cover provided on the excitation filter 12, the number can be reduced from 2 to 1, and the size can also be reduced.

[0076] The light source unit 13 uses the LED light source 10 as a light source, but is not limited to the LED light source 10 as long as it can excite the fluorescent substance contained in the microorganisms, and a parallel light LED light source, a laser light source, or a light bulb that can irradiate parallel light may also be used.

[0077] The optical system on the light receiving unit 19 side also does not require a relay lens, a slit, or a cylindrical lens as provided in the prior art. In addition, the light receiving filter 15 and the detector 14 can be constituted by the same number of one.

[0078] In this way, by reducing the number of components of the optical system on the light source unit 13 side and the light receiving unit 19 side and simplifying them, it is possible to achieve a reduction in the overall size.

[0079] The sample container 5 is formed in a prismatic shape in the present embodiment, but may also be formed in a cylindrical shape.

[0080] Furthermore, the shape of a polygonal prism such as a triangular prism, a pentagonal prism, or a hexagonal prism may be adopted.

[0081] In addition, the light receiving unit 19 shows an example of using a photomultiplier tube (PMT) as a light receiving sensor, but is not limited to this. Various light detectors such as silicon photodiodes (SiPDs) and avalanche photodiodes (APDs) can be used that can detect the luminescence of fluorescent substances contained in microorganisms in the same way as the photomultiplier tubes (PMTs).

[0082] Figure 5 is a flow chart showing the measurement process, based on Figure 5 The measurement process is explained for each step.

[0083] (Step 1) An operator extracts 100 ml (milliliters) of ballast water at a temperature of about 20° C. as a sample using a pipette or the like, and puts the sample into a sample container 5 .

[0084] (Step 2) Add a fluorescent staining reagent to the sample container 5. The fluorescent staining reagent may be a generally known calcein AM (Calcein-AM, manufactured by Promocell GMBH, Germany), FDA (Fluorescein Diacetate, a fluorescent indicator, manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.), or the like. Calcein AM tends to easily stain plant plankton, and FDA tends to easily stain animal plankton. Therefore, if the staining reagent is stained with a reagent mixed with calcein AM and FDA, the staining time of the reagent can be shortened, and the time required for staining can be reduced to half of the existing time.

[0085] (Step 3) The operator places the rotor 7 into the sample container 5, places it in the measuring section 6 of the inspection device 1, and covers the measuring section 6 with a cover 30, thereby completing the measurement preparation. Then, the power button 3a is pressed, and the rotor 7 is rotated by driving the magnetic stirrer 27 built into the measuring section 6, thereby stirring the sample solution S.

[0086] (Step 4) The operator presses the measurement start button 3b of the operation unit, whereby the LED light source 10 is turned on after a predetermined time, and the light that has passed through the excitation light bandpass filter 12 is irradiated to the sample container 5. At this time, for example, light with a wavelength of 450nm to 490nm is irradiated as a wavelength characteristic, and the specimen (microorganism) in the sample container 5 emits fluorescence.

[0087] (Step 5) The fluorescence is detected by the detector 14 of the light receiving unit 19 .

[0088] (Step 6) The detector 14 converts light energy into electrical energy by utilizing the photoelectric effect and adds a current amplification function to detect fluorescent light. The detected electrical signal is sent to the CPU board 23, and the number of light-receiving waveforms above a certain threshold is counted.

[0089] (Step 7) Furthermore, the CPU board 23 estimates the number of microorganisms present in 100 ml (milliliters) of water in the sample container 5 based on the light receiving waveform count value, and displays on the display unit 4 whether the water discharge standard is satisfied.

[0090] based on Figure 6, the structure of the measuring part 6 of another embodiment is described. In this embodiment, the light source part 13 is arranged above the sample container 5, which is different from the previous embodiment. In the case of irradiating light from above as in this embodiment, due to the undulation of the boundary part of the air and the water surface and the difference in the refractive index between the air and the water, if it is directly irradiated, the light may not reach the inside of the water straightly, so a light guide rod 50 is provided in front of the aperture 11 of the light source part 13, and the light guide rod 50 is arranged to reach the water from the air. In this embodiment, in order to allow the light guide rod 50 to pass, it can be configured to be provided with a hole in the cover 30. Then, the light irradiated from the LED light source 10 and passed through the excitation filter 12 and the aperture 11 is guided to the vicinity of the measuring part through the light guide rod 50. The light guide rod 50 is made of a transparent resin such as acrylic resin, and the light is guided by the reflection of the inner surface. In this way, the influence between the air and the water can be reduced, and the light from the light source part 13 can be guided to the vicinity of the measuring part of the microorganism. As for the structure of the other light source part 13 and the light receiving part 19, since it is the same as the previous embodiment, the description is omitted.

[0091] based on Figure 7 , the structure of the measuring unit 6 of another embodiment is described. In this embodiment, the light source unit 13 is arranged on the same side as the light receiving unit 19 on the side of the sample container 5, which is different from the previous embodiment. In this embodiment, in order to irradiate light to the microorganism from below, a reflector 51 is arranged in the sample solution S, and the light from the light source unit 13 is switched in the vertical direction and irradiated to the microorganism. The light receiving unit 19 is arranged in a manner that the light incident on the microorganism in the vertical direction is received at an angle orthogonal to it. Regarding the structure of the other light source units 13 and the light receiving unit 19, since they are the same as the previous embodiment, the description is omitted. In this embodiment, the reflector 51 is used to switch the direction of the light, but other elements such as a prism 52 can also be used to switch the direction of the light. In this embodiment, since the light source unit 13 and the light receiving unit 19 are arranged on the same side of the side, the inspection device can be miniaturized.

[0092] based on Figure 8, the structure of the measuring unit 6 of another embodiment is described. In this embodiment, as in the previous embodiment, the light source unit 13 is arranged on the same side as the light receiving unit 19 on the side of the sample container 5. In this embodiment, in order to irradiate light to the microorganism from above, on the basis of arranging the position of the light source unit 13 at a position above the light receiving unit 19, a reflector 51 is arranged in the sample solution S, and the light from the light source unit 13 is switched in the vertical direction and irradiated to the microorganism. The light receiving unit 19 is arranged in a manner that the light incident on the microorganism in the vertical direction is received at an angle orthogonal to it. As for the structure of the other light source unit 13 and the light receiving unit 19, since it is the same as the previous embodiment, the description is omitted. In this embodiment, the reflector 51 is used to switch the direction of the light, but other elements such as a prism 52 can also be used to switch the direction of the light. In this embodiment, since the light source unit 13 and the light receiving unit 19 are arranged on the same side of the side, the inspection device can be miniaturized.

[0093] Fig. 9 The structure of the measuring unit 6 of another embodiment is shown. In this embodiment, the structure of the light receiving unit 19 is different from that of the other embodiments. The light receiving unit 19 in this embodiment is provided on the side of the sample container 5, and includes a detector 14 and a light receiving filter 15. A lens 16 for focusing light is arranged on the front surface of the light receiving filter 15, and a slit 17 is arranged on the front surface of the lens 16. In addition, a relay lens 18 is arranged between the slit 17 and the sample container 5. The relay lens 18 has a function of exciting the fluorescent substance contained in the microorganism, focusing the fluorescence emitted thereby, and forming an image.

[0094] The slit 17 is used to narrow the observation surface into a slit shape. By using the slit 17, the light receiving area of ​​the light receiving surface is narrowed, and the area of ​​the background fluorescence that becomes noise is also narrowed, so the ratio of the signal of the fluorescence of the microorganism to the background fluorescence is improved, and the detection accuracy of the fluorescence of the microorganism is improved.

[0095] based on Fig.10 , the structure of the measuring unit 6 of another embodiment is described. In this embodiment, the light source unit 13 is arranged below the sample container 5, and the excitation light is irradiated vertically upward, but the light shielding plate 55 is arranged near the water surface, which is different from the previous embodiment. If such a structure is adopted, when the light irradiated to the microorganism is transmitted upward, it is blocked by the light shielding plate 55, so even in the absence of the cover 30, the measurement can be performed without causing the operator to feel glare. As for the structure of the other light source unit 13 and the light receiving unit 19, since they are the same as the previous embodiment, the description is omitted.

[0096] based on Fig.11, the structure of the measuring unit 6 of another embodiment is described. In this embodiment, the difference from the previous embodiment is that in the previous embodiment in which the light shielding plate 55 is provided, when the excitation light is further irradiated, the light guide rod 50 is provided to reliably transmit the excitation light from the bottom surface of the sample container 5 to the vicinity of the measuring range of the microorganism. If such a structure is adopted, when the light irradiated to the microorganism is transmitted upward, it is blocked by the light shielding plate 55, so even in the absence of the cover 30, the operator will not feel glare and can perform the measurement, and the excitation light can be reliably irradiated to the vicinity of the measuring range of the microorganism. As for the structure of the other light source unit 13 and the light receiving unit 19, since they are the same as those in the previous embodiment, the description is omitted.

[0097] In addition, in these embodiments, the description is made with one LED light source, but it is also possible to configure a configuration in which three or more LED light sources are arranged. In this case, for example, when arranged on the lower surface of the sample container 5, it is preferably arranged horizontally in the direction of flow of the sample solution S along the rotor 7. In addition, in these embodiments, it is configured so that the rotor 7 is arranged on the bottom surface and the excitation light is irradiated thereto from a vertical direction, but it is also possible to configure so that the rotor 7 is provided on the side surface and the excitation light is irradiated thereto from a vertical side direction.

[0098] Description of Reference Numerals

[0099] 1 Inspection device

[0100] 2 Main body

[0101] 3 Operation section

[0102] 4 Display

[0103] 5 Sample container

[0104] 6 Measurement unit

[0105] 7 Rotor

[0106] 8. Retention plate

[0107] 9 Sample container storage area

[0108] 10 LED light source

[0109] 11 Aperture

[0110] 12 Excitation filter

[0111] 13 Light source

[0112] 14 Detector

[0113] 15 Light receiving filter

[0114] 16 Focusing lens

[0115] 17 Slit

[0116] 18 Relay lens

[0117] 19 Light receiving part

[0118] 20 Shell

[0119] 21 AC power supply

[0120] 22 Secondary battery

[0121] 23 CPU base plate

[0122] 24 AC / DC Converter

[0123] 25 RAM

[0124] 26 ROM

[0125] 27. Blender

[0126] 28 Fan

[0127] 29 External output terminal

[0128] 30 Cover

[0129] 50 Light guide rod

[0130] 51 Reflector

[0131] 52 Prism

[0132] 55 visor

Claims

1. A microorganism inspection device for measuring the amount of microorganisms in a sample solution, characterized in that: The microorganism inspection device has: A stirring and mixing unit that adds a sample and a fluorescent dye reagent to a batch sample container formed of a light-transmitting material to stir and mix the sample solution; an excitation light source, comprising a light source, the light source stirring the sample solution through the stirring and mixing unit, and irradiating the irradiated surface of the sample container with excitation light in a vertical direction; a light receiving unit disposed in a lateral direction of the sample container and detecting light emitted as fluorescence by the excitation light from the excitation light source; as well as a control unit that converts the light detected by the light receiving unit into an electrical signal to detect the number of luminescence, and calculates the amount of microorganisms contained in the sample in the sample container based on the number of luminescence, The flow direction of the sample solution stirred by the stirring and mixing unit is substantially at right angles to the irradiation direction of the excitation light from the excitation light source. The sample solution is stirred in a horizontal direction along the bottom surface by the stirring and mixing unit.

2. The microorganism inspection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The excitation light source is arranged above or below the sample container.

3. The microorganism inspection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A reflective component is provided in the sample container. The excitation light source is arranged on the side of the sample container. The excitation light emitted from the excitation light source is reflected by the reflection member and is emitted to the irradiated surface in a vertical direction.

4. The microorganism inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: A light guide rod is arranged between the excitation light source and the irradiated surface.

5. The microorganism inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: A light shielding plate is provided on the opposite side of the excitation light source across the irradiated surface.

6. The microorganism inspection device according to claim 4, characterized in that: A light shielding plate is provided on the opposite side of the excitation light source across the irradiated surface.

Images