Method for Collecting Pathogenic Microorganisms and Collection Device

Abstract

To provide means that can catch a great number of pathogenic microbes in a gas with high efficiency in a simple structure, without rendering the pathogenic microbes inactivate in the collection process.SOLUTION: The method for collecting pathogenic microbes includes steps for: taking a subject gas from the outside into a container to fill the same; and causing pathogenic microbes in the subject gas to be adsorbed or attached onto a carrier.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a collection method and a collection device for efficiently collecting pathogenic microorganisms in a gas.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a collection device for collecting suspended matter (microorganisms including fungi, bacteria, fungi, etc. or viruses, etc.) contained in air using a liquid has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1). Such a collection device allows a liquid to flow into a housing in advance from a liquid inlet, introduces air into the housing from an air introduction part, and generates a cyclone flow inside. As a result, suspended matter in the air is collected in the liquid by the centrifugal force of the cyclone flow.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the collection device of Patent Document 1 described above, even when air and liquid are mixed by a cyclone flow, the liquid and the gas cannot be completely mixed. As a result, only some of the suspended matter can be collected. That is, it is impossible to make the entire volume of the gas coexist with the entire volume of the liquid by the cyclone flow. In particular, when using a cyclone flow, a liquid with a high specific gravity is distributed on the outer side in the radial direction of the container, and a gas and suspended matter with a low specific gravity are distributed on the inner side in the radial direction. Therefore, the liquid and the suspended matter are separated, and only a part of the suspended matter in the air can be collected. In addition, such a collection device has a problem that the amount of suspended matter that can be collected is only about 10% of the total amount of suspended matter in the taken-in gas. In addition, in this type of collection device, there is a risk that viruses and the like contained in a cyclone flow or a high-speed air flow may be damaged by friction, collision, agitation, etc., and inactivated. In this case, there is a problem that the inactivation effect by the collection device cannot be excluded.

[0005] The present invention has been made by the earnest research of the inventor in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a means capable of efficiently collecting a large amount of pathogenic microorganisms in a gas with a simple structure and collecting them without inactivating the pathogenic microorganisms during collection.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The method for collecting pathogenic microorganisms of the present invention includes a step of taking in a target gas from the outside into a container , inside the above container to seal the target gas inside the above container and a step of adsorbing or adhering the pathogenic microorganisms in the target gas to a carrier. contained inside the above container In the method for collecting pathogenic microorganisms of the present invention, the accommodation volume of the carrier is such that the total surface It is characterized by including these steps.

[0007] The method for collecting pathogenic microorganisms of the present invention is characterized by having a step of immersing the carrier to which the pathogenic microorganisms are adsorbed or adhered in a lysing solution.

[0008] The method for collecting pathogenic microorganisms of the present invention is characterized in that the carrier contains one or more of inorganic salts, organic salts, water-soluble proteins, saccharides, amino acids, nucleobases, surfactants, and dispersants.

[0009] The method for collecting pathogenic microorganisms of the present invention is characterized in that the inorganic salts include one or more of hydrochlorides, sulfates, bisulfites, carbonates, bicarbonates, phosphates, borates, etc. of alkali metals and alkaline earth metals, the organic salts include one or more of organic acid salts of alkali metals and alkaline earth metals, the water-soluble proteins include one or more of casein, gelatin, albumin, collagen, and their denatured products, etc., the saccharides include one or more of sucrose, maltose, cellulose, glycogen, lactose, corn starch, glucose, fructose, sugar, xylose, trehalose, starch degradation products, sugar alcohols, oligosaccharides, etc., the amino acids include one or more of basic amino acids, acidic amino acids, alkali metal salts of amino acids, amino acid derivatives, etc., the nucleobases include one or more of hypoxanthine, cytosine, etc., the surfactant includes one or more of monoalkyl sulfates, alkyl polyoxyethylene sulfates, alkylbenzene sulfonates, monoalkyl phosphates, alkyltrimethylammonium salts, dialkyldimethylammonium salts, alkylbenzyldimethylammonium salts, alkyldimethylamine oxides, alkyl carboxybetaines, polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, fatty acid sorbitan esters, alkyl polyglucosides, fatty acid diethanolamides, alkyl monoglyceryl ethers, etc., and the dispersant includes one or more of polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polyacrylic acid copolymer, polystyrene sulfonic acid, alkyl imidazoline compounds, sulfonic acid, dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid, lignin sulfonic acid, orthosilicic acid, metasilicic acid, humic acid, tannic acid, dodecyl sulfate, etc.

[0010] The method for collecting pathogenic microorganisms of the present invention is characterized in that the carrier is any one of a water-soluble material, a powder, a gel, a porous body, and a crystal. area of the carrier is set to be larger than the inner surface area of the container. The method for collecting pathogenic microorganisms of the present invention is characterized by having a compression step of compressing the volume of the gas inside the container. The method for collecting pathogenic microorganisms of the present invention is characterized in that the compression step compresses the volume of the gas inside the container by the displacement of a piston that reciprocates in a predetermined direction inside the container. In the collecting device of the present invention, the accommodation volume of the carrier is such that the total surface area of the carrier is larger than the inner surface area of the container. The collecting device of the present invention is characterized by having compression means for compressing the volume of the gas inside the container. The collecting device of the present invention is characterized in that the compression means is a piston that reciprocates in a predetermined direction inside the container, and the volume of the gas inside the container is compressed by the displacement of the piston.

[0011] The collection device of the present invention includes a container capable of accommodating a carrier, and means for taking in a target gas into the container from the outside , seal the target gas inside the above container and is configured such that pathogenic microorganisms in the target gas can be adsorbed or adhered to the carrier. contained inside the above container It is characterized by being configured to be able to adsorb or adhere to the carrier.

[0012] The collection device of the present invention is characterized by including means for immersing the carrier to which the pathogenic microorganisms are adsorbed or adhered in a lysate. In the collecting device of the present invention, the accommodation volume of the carrier is such that the total surface area of the carrier is larger than the inner surface area of the container. The collecting device of the present invention is characterized by having compression means for compressing the volume of the gas inside the container. The collecting device of the present invention is characterized in that the compression means is a piston that reciprocates in a predetermined direction inside the container, and the volume of the gas inside the container is compressed by the displacement of the piston. [Figure 1] [Figure 2] [Figure 3] 。

Advantages of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, pathogenic microorganisms in a gas can be efficiently collected with a simple structure. Further, the pathogenic microorganisms to be collected can be collected without inactivating them.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014] [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing a collection device of the first embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a schematic configuration diagram showing a collection device equipped with a suction pump. [Figure 6] It shows a collection device, and (a) is a diagram showing an installation example when collecting pathogenic microorganisms in a space, and (b) is a diagram showing an installation example when collecting pathogenic microorganisms sprayed from a nebulizer. ​ It is a diagram showing a collection device equipped with a container having a piston. ​ It is a diagram showing the displacement of the piston. ​ It is a diagram showing a collection device of the second embodiment.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] An embodiment of the collection device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the collection device of the first embodiment. The collection device 1 includes a container 2 that can accommodate a carrier (described later), and a gas filling unit 4 as means for filling the container 2 with a target gas from the outside. The pathogenic microorganisms in the target gas transferred into the container 2 by the gas filling unit 4 are adsorbed or adhered to the carrier.

[0016] The container 2 may be either a flexible container or a non-flexible container, as long as it has a structure that can accommodate at least the carrier and can be filled and accommodated with gas. The gas filling unit 4 may be any device that can send the target air into the container 2. Therefore, the gas filling unit 4 may be simply a blower or the like that compresses and sends the target gas into the container 2.

[0017] Next, with reference to FIG. 2, the collection device 1 including a suction pump as the gas filling unit will be described. In order to fill the gas more efficiently, the gas filling unit may be a suction pump 4a rather than sending the target gas into the container 2 with the above-described blower to a container 2 whose internal air pressure is approximately the same as the external air pressure. Specifically, the collection device 1 includes a container 2, a suction pump 4a (gas filling unit), and valves 6 and 8. The container 2 has an intake hole 20 and an exhaust hole 22. An inflow path 10 for taking in the gas containing pathogenic microorganisms to be collected from the outside is connected to the intake hole 20. One end of an exhaust path 12 connected to the suction pump 4a is connected to the exhaust hole 22.

[0018] Further, the container 2 can pre-accommodate the carrier in its internal space and can accommodate the gas flowing in from the outside through the inflow path 10 into its internal space. The accommodation amount of the carrier can be set as appropriate. For example, the amount of the carrier can be set so that the total surface area of the carrier is larger than the inner surface area of the container 2, preferably significantly larger.

[0019] In addition, the container 2 is provided with a leakage prevention part such as a check valve or a filter for preventing the carrier from leaking from the intake hole 20 or the exhaust hole 22. Here, the filter 14 is arranged at the exhaust hole 22. Of course, it goes without saying that a leakage prevention part (not shown) may be arranged at the intake hole 20.

[0020] The suction pump 4a is a pump for exhausting the inside of the container 2 through the exhaust passage 12. By making the container 2 airtight and exhausting the inside of the container 2, the internal pressure is reduced. The valve 6 is arranged in the inflow passage 10, and the valve 8 is arranged in the exhaust passage 12, and their opening and closing are controlled by a valve control part (not shown).

[0021] One end of the inflow passage 10 is connected to the intake hole 20 of the container 2, and the other end is an inlet that opens so that gas can flow in from the outside. One end of the exhaust passage 12 is connected to the exhaust hole 22 of the container 2, and the other end is connected to the suction pump 4a. Therefore, by driving the suction pump 4a, the inside of the container 2 can be exhausted through the exhaust passage 12.

[0022] The filter 14 is arranged at a position closing the exhaust hole 22 of the container 2, and a filter capable of preventing the passage of the carrier can be used. Of course, the filter 14 may be one that can suppress the movement of pathogenic microorganisms to the exhaust passage 12 side in the exhaust of the container 2 such as a high-performance air filter (HEPA filter).

[0023] The carrier accumulated in the container 2 can be selected from powder bodies, gel-like bodies, porous bodies, and crystal-shaped bodies as long as pathogenic microorganisms can adhere to them. In particular, if powder bodies, porous bodies, or porous powder bodies are selected, their surface areas are extremely large, and it is preferable because they can more effectively collect the target pathogenic microorganisms. In addition, the carrier can be selected from materials containing one or more of water-soluble materials such as inorganic salts, organic salts, water-soluble proteins, saccharides, amino acid salts, nucleobases, surfactants, and dispersants.

[0024] Examples of inorganic salts include hydrochlorides, sulfates, hydrogen sulfites, carbonates, bicarbonates, phosphates, borates, etc. of alkali metals and alkaline earth metals. For example, sodium sulfate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium carbonate, calcium chloride, magnesium sulfate, etc. can be mentioned.

[0025] Examples of organic salts include organic acid salts of alkali metals and alkaline earth metals, etc. For example, sodium acetate, potassium acetate, magnesium succinate, sodium benzoate, sodium citrate, sodium ascorbate, etc. can be mentioned.

[0026] Examples of water-soluble proteins include casein, gelatin, albumin, collagen, and their denatured products, etc. Examples of saccharides include sucrose, maltose, cellulose, glycogen, lactose, corn starch, glucose, fructose, granulated sugar, xylose, trehalose, and in addition, starch degradation products (such as dextrin, etc.), sugar alcohols (for example, xylitol, erythritol, sorbitol, maltitol, lactitol, mannitol, etc.), oligosaccharides (for example, cellooligosaccharide, maltooligosaccharide, fructooligosaccharide, etc.), etc.

[0027] Examples of amino acids include basic amino acids (for example, lysine, arginine, histidine, etc.), acidic amino acids (for example, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, etc.), alkali metal salts of amino acids (for example, monosodium glutamate, monopotassium aspartate, etc.), amino acid derivatives (for example, 2-methylglutamic acid, 3-hydroxyaspartic acid, N-methyltaurine, etc.), etc. Examples of nucleobases include hypoxanthine, cytosine, and their salts, etc.

[0028] As surfactants, any of anionic, cationic, amphoteric, and nonionic surfactants can be used. Examples of anionic surfactants include monoalkyl sulfates, alkyl polyoxyethylene sulfates, alkylbenzene sulfonates, monoalkyl phosphates, etc. Examples of cationic surfactants include alkyltrimethylammonium salts, dialkyldimethylammonium salts, alkylbenzyldimethylammonium salts, etc. Examples of amphoteric surfactants include alkyldimethylamine oxides, alkyl carboxybetaines, etc. Examples of nonionic surfactants include polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, fatty acid sorbitan esters, alkyl polyglucosides, fatty acid diethanolamides, alkyl monoglyceryl ethers, etc.

[0029] Examples of dispersants include carboxylic acid-based dispersants (e.g., polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polyacrylic acid copolymers, polystyrene sulfonic acid, salts thereof, etc.), heterocyclic-based dispersants (e.g., alkyl imidazoline-based compounds, etc.), sulfonic acid-based dispersants (e.g., sulfonic acid, dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid, lignin sulfonic acid, salts thereof, etc.), orthosilicic acid, metasilicic acid, humic acid, tannic acid, dodecyl sulfate, etc.

[0030] The smaller the particle size of the carrier, the more densely it can be packed in the container 2, which may restrict the inflow of gas through the inflow path 10. Therefore, it is desirable for the carrier to have a large surface area on which more pathogenic microorganisms can adhere.

[0031] Such carriers can include, for example, polysaccharides (glucose, dextrin, starch, sultose, etc.). Also, a carrier having a porous form formed by a freeze-drying method or the like, and as a result, having a crystalline form with an enlarged surface area may be produced.

[0032] As an example of setting the size of the carrier, there is a method of setting the size of the carrier so that the total surface area of the carrier in the container 2 sufficiently exceeds the inner surface area (inner surface area) of the container 2. Specifically, first, the carrier is regarded as being filled in the container 2 in a close-packed structure, and the packing ratio is set to π / √18 (about 0.74). Therefore, the total volume V' of the carrier in the container 2 with respect to the volume V of the container 2 is V' = V×(π / √18).

[0033] Also, when the spherical equivalent average particle diameter of the carrier is r, the total number N of the carriers filled in the container 2 is

Equation

Equation

[0034] Next, the procedure for collecting pathogenic microorganisms by the collection device 1 will be described. Here, the container 2 is filled with a carrier. Here, a gas containing pathogenic microorganisms is accommodated in the container 2. For example, the valve 6 of the inflow path 10 is closed, the valve 8 of the discharge path 12 is opened, and the suction pump 4a is driven.

[0035] When the inside of the container 2 is sufficiently depressurized, the valve 8 is closed, the driving of the suction pump 4a is stopped, and the valve 6 is opened. As a result, gas flows into the container 2 from the other end of the inflow path 10, and by closing the valve 6, the container 2 is filled with gas.

[0036] In this way, pathogenic microorganisms in the container 2 can be carried by the carrier. That is, the space containing the carrier is filled with gas, and the pathogenic microorganisms in the gas are attached to the carrier. As a result, the pathogenic microorganisms are carried by the carrier.

[0037] Then, the carrier in the container 2 is taken out and immersed in a liquid capable of dissolving the carrier, so that the pathogenic microorganisms carried by the carrier remain in the liquid, and the collection of the pathogenic microorganisms is completed. As a method of immersing the carrier in the liquid, for example, a liquid can be injected into the container, or the carrier taken out from the container can be transferred to a container containing the liquid. Also, for example, the bottom of the container 2 can have a structure that can be opened, a container containing liquid can be arranged below the container 2, and when the bottom of the container 2 is opened, the carrier carrying the pathogenic microorganisms can be dropped into the container to immerse the carrier in the liquid.

[0038] As described above, since the gas containing pathogenic microorganisms is filled in the container containing the carrier to attach the pathogenic microorganisms to the carrier, the pathogenic microorganisms in the gas can be efficiently collected. Also, the pathogenic microorganisms in the container can be collected without being inactivated.

[0039] When the container 2 has flexibility, it can be in a compressed state such that the volume of the container 2 decreases in response to a decrease in pressure, and when gas flows into the container 2 from the inflow path 10, it can be in an expanded state such that the volume increases. Therefore, if the volume gradually decreases as the pressure inside the container 2 is reduced, the degree of progress of the pressure reduction can be easily confirmed. Also, when gas is drawn in through the inflow path 10 after the pressure reduction, the container 2 expands, so the amount of gas flowing in can be easily confirmed from the degree of expansion.

[0040] The connection destination of the other end of the inflow channel 10 can be set appropriately. For example, as shown in Fig. 3(a), it may be connected to a closed space 100 such as a room, i.e., the other end of the inflow channel 10 may be installed inside the space 100. In this case, the air in the space 100 can be sucked in by a suction pump 102 and sent to the inflow channel 10 side. In this way, pathogenic microorganisms in the air in the space 100 can be collected.

[0041] 3(b) to collect the sprayed pathogenic microorganisms. That is, the nebulizer 112 may be connected to the compressor 110, and the pathogenic microorganisms sprayed by the nebulizer 112 may be sent to the inflow path 10 side by compressed air from the compressor 110. Of course, if the pressure inside the container 2 is reduced in advance and the compressed air is sent out while the valve 6 is opened, the container 2 can be filled with gas efficiently.

[0042] The method of filling the container 2 with gas is not limited to the above-mentioned method, and may be set as appropriate. For example, a suction pump may be provided in the inflow path 10, and gas may be sucked in from the outside by driving the pump and taken into the container 2.

[0043] The container may also have a variable volume structure other than a flexible structure. For example, the container may have a piston inside so that the volume of the internal space can be compressed. Here, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a collection device 1 including a container 30 having a piston 32. The container 30 contains a piston 32 that can reciprocate in a predetermined direction, and the displacement of the piston 32 causes the container 30 Therefore, even if there is a space in which the support is not accommodated when the piston 32 is retracted so that the space in the container 30 shown in Fig. 5(a) is maximized, the amount of the support is set so that there is almost no space in the container 30 in which the support is not accommodated when the piston 32 is pushed in as shown in Fig. 5(b).

[0044] A container equipped with such a piston 32 30By displacing the piston in the compression direction, the empty space without the carrier can be gradually reduced, making it easier for pathogenic microorganisms to adhere or adsorb to the carrier. Also, when the compression by the piston is completed, if the inside of the container 30 is almost filled with the carrier, almost all of the pathogenic microorganisms in the gas will adhere to the surface or inner surface of the carrier or enter the interior. Therefore, even if the amount of the carrier accommodated in the container 30 is reduced, pathogenic microorganisms can be efficiently collected. In this way, by reducing the volume inside the container 30 and making the space inside the container 30 smaller, an environment in which pathogenic microorganisms can easily adhere or adsorb to the carrier may be created. However, by shaking the container 30 , the carrier can move inside, and as a result, the carrier can be brought into contact with pathogenic microorganisms to cause adhesion. Note that as the container 30 equipped with the piston 32, both an intake port and an exhaust port may be provided at the forward end of the piston 32, or an intake port may be provided at the forward end of the piston 32 and an exhaust port may be provided in the piston 32.

[0045] Next, the collection device 1 of the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 6. Note that the same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted. The collection device 1 of the second embodiment collects pathogenic microorganisms in the gas discharged from the device under test 50.

[0046] Therefore, the collection device 1 further disposes the device under test 50 and the air tank 52. The device under test 50 may be, for example, a device that sucks in outside air, performs processes such as air purification, and exhausts the air, or a device that takes in outside air, irradiates ultraviolet rays, and passes the internal space through, thereby inactivating pathogenic microorganisms in the gas and discharging them.

[0047] The air tank 52 is formed of a flexible material and stores the gas or air discharged from the device under test 50. Note that the shape of the air tank 52 is set according to the presence or absence of gas storage. That is, it is in a compressed state when no gas is stored, and in an expanded state when gas is stored, so that the presence or absence of gas storage can be easily determined from the outer shape of the air tank 52.

[0048] The device under test 50 and the air tank 52 are connected to each other via a conduit 54. That is, one end of the conduit 54 is connected to the exhaust port of the device under test 50, and the other end of the conduit 54 is connected to the air tank 52. Thereby, the gas discharged from the device under test 50 is sent to the air tank 52 via the conduit 54. Further, a valve 56 is disposed in the conduit 54, and its opening and closing are controlled by a valve control unit (not shown).

[0049] Next, a procedure for collecting pathogenic microorganisms in the gas discharged from the device under test 50 will be described. Here, the piston 32 is arranged in advance at the most retracted position, that is, the position where the internal space of the container 30 is most expanded (initial position). Also, the valve 6 is in the closed state and the valve 8 is in the open state.

[0050] First, the gas discharged from the device under test 50 is stored in the air tank 52. Specifically, the valve 56 is opened, the valve 6 in the inflow path 10 is closed, and the device under test 50 is operated. Therefore, the gas discharged from the device under test 50 is sent to the air tank 52 through the conduit 54. The air tank 52 gradually expands as the gas flows in. When the air tank 52 reaches the expanded state up to the required amount, the valve 56 is closed and the operation of the device under test 50 is stopped.

[0051] Also, the inside of the container 30 is depressurized to a substantially vacuum state. Specifically, the valve 8 in the exhaust path 12 is opened, and the suction pump 4a is driven. Then, when the inside of the container 30 is sufficiently depressurized to a low pressure or substantially vacuum state, the valve 6 in the exhaust path 12 is closed and the driving of the suction pump 4a is stopped.

[0052] When the interior of the container 30 is in a low pressure or nearly vacuum state and the air tank 52 is in a fully inflated state, by opening the valve 6 of the inflow path 10, the gas in the air tank 52 is moved into the container 30. That is, the gas is moved by utilizing the difference between the air pressure in the air tank 52 and the air pressure in the container 30. Of course, it goes without saying that the air tank 52 may be compressed to extrude the internal gas.

[0053] Next, close the valve 6 of the inflow path 10 and displace the piston 32 to compress the gas in the container 30. That is, due to the displacement of the piston 32, as shown in Fig. 5(b), the ratio of the carrier containing the gas inside the container 30 to the ratio occupied by only the gas increases. As a result, pathogenic microorganisms in the gas are more likely to adsorb or adhere to the carrier.

[0054] After that, if the carrier in the container 30 is immersed in a liquid such as a lysate to dissolve the carrier, the pathogenic microorganisms can be left in the liquid. As a result, the pathogenic microorganisms can be collected in the lysate. Here, as the lysate, a culture solution for growing pathogenic microorganisms may be used. In this case, as the carrier, one that can be easily dissolved in the culture solution is selected.

[0055] As described above, since the gas containing pathogenic microorganisms is filled into the container containing the carrier to attach the pathogenic microorganisms to the carrier, the pathogenic microorganisms in the gas can be efficiently collected without inactivating them. Also, the gas exhausted from the device under test 50 moves in the order of the air tank 52 and the container 30. As a result, the gas discharged from the device under test 50 collects in the container 30. Therefore, almost all of the pathogenic microorganisms in the gas discharged from the device under test 50 can be collected. Note that the container 30 may be vibrated together with the carrier carrying the gas contained in the container 30, or slight vibrations may be applied to the carrier contained in the container by ultrasonic waves or the like, so that the pathogenic microorganisms in the gas can be more surely attached or adsorbed to the carrier.

[0056] Thus, according to the collection device of the present invention, pathogenic microorganisms in the gas discharged from the device under test can be collected, which is very useful in evaluating the air purification function of the device under test. In addition, since the pathogenic microorganisms in the gas discharged from the device under test can be collected without being inactivated, when the device under test is a device that inactivates pathogenic organisms with ultraviolet light or the like, it becomes possible to more accurately grasp the inactivation performance of the device under test. By collecting the inspection target air indoors and outdoors and inspecting it with the collection device of the present invention, the presence or amount of fungi, viruses, etc. in the air can be accurately detected.

[0057] In addition, when the purpose is to grasp the inactivation performance of the device under test, it is desirable to use a carrier that does not inactivate pathogenic microorganisms. That is, since surfactants and some dispersants (such as tannic acid) can inactivate pathogenic microorganisms, it is desirable to use carriers such as inorganic salts, organic salts, water-soluble proteins, saccharides, amino acid salts, and nucleobases excluding these. In addition, as long as the carrier can adhere to or adsorb pathogenic microorganisms, a carrier having insoluble or hardly soluble properties in a liquid (water, solution, chemical solution, etc.) may be used. In that case, for example, with the carrier and pathogenic microorganisms immersed in a liquid, the pathogenic microorganisms can be separated from the carrier by stirring or the like, and then only the carrier can be removed from the dissolution liquid, leaving the pathogenic microorganisms in the dissolution liquid.

[0058] In addition, when a test device having a function of inactivating pathogenic microorganisms is connected to a collection device, it becomes possible to determine the ratio of inactivated pathogenic microorganisms to the total amount of pathogenic microorganisms that have passed through the test device. Specifically, the collection of the gas discharged from the test device by the collection device is performed multiple times and divided into those to be subjected to a PCR test and those to be subjected to a culture test. Then, after immersing the carrier to which pathogenic microorganisms are attached in a liquid, it becomes possible to compare the original amount of pathogenic microorganisms obtained by subjecting them to a PCR test with the original amount of pathogenic microorganisms obtained by subjecting them to a culture test. As a result, according to the PCR test, the combined amount (or original amount) of pathogenic microorganisms having toxicity and inactivated pathogenic microorganisms can be grasped, while on the other hand, according to the culture test, the amount (or original amount) of only pathogenic microorganisms having toxicity can be grasped. Therefore, it is also possible to calculate the ratio of inactivated pathogenic microorganisms to the total amount of pathogenic microorganisms that have passed through the test device, the occupancy ratio of those that are inactivated, etc.

Explanation of Signs

[0059] 1... Collection device, 2, 30... Containers, 4... Gas filling part, 4a... Suction pump, 6, 56... Valves, 10... Inflow path, 12... Exhaust path, 14... Filter, 20... Intake hole, 22... Exhaust hole, 32... Piston, 50... Test device, 52... Air tank, 54... Conduit.

Claims

1. A step of taking in a target gas from the outside into a container and sealing the target gas in the container, and a step of adsorbing or adhering pathogenic microorganisms in the target gas to a carrier accommodated in the container, characterized in that it includes a method for collecting pathogenic microorganisms.

2. The method for collecting pathogenic microorganisms according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a step of immersing the carrier to which the pathogenic microorganisms are adsorbed or adhered in a lysate.

3. The method for collecting pathogenic microorganisms according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the carrier contains any one or more of inorganic salts, organic salts, water-soluble proteins, saccharides, amino acids, nucleobases, surfactants, and dispersants.

4. The inorganic salts include any one or more of hydrochlorides, sulfates, hydrogen sulfites, carbonates, bicarbonates, phosphates, borates, etc. of alkali metals and alkaline earth metals, The organic salts include any one or more of organic acid salts of alkali metals and alkaline earth metals, The water-soluble proteins include any one or more of casein, gelatin, albumin, collagen, and their denatured products, The saccharides include any one or more of sucrose, maltose, cellulose, glycogen, lactose, corn starch, glucose, fructose, sugar, xylose, trehalose, starch degradation products, sugar alcohols, oligosaccharides, etc., The amino acids include any one or more of basic amino acids, acidic amino acids, alkali metal salts of amino acids, amino acid derivatives, etc., The nucleobases include any one or more of hypoxanthine, cytosine, etc., The surfactant contains at least one of monoalkyl sulfates, alkyl polyoxyethylene sulfates, alkylbenzene sulfonates, monoalkyl phosphates, alkyltrimethylammonium salts, dialkyldimethylammonium salts, alkylbenzyldimethylammonium salts, alkyldimethylamine oxides, alkyl carboxybetaines, polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, fatty acid sorbitan esters, alkyl polyglucosides, fatty acid diethanolamides, alkyl monoglyceryl ethers, etc., and the dispersant contains at least one of polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polyacrylic acid copolymers, polystyrene sulfonic acid, alkyl imidazoline compounds, sulfonic acid, dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid, lignin sulfonic acid, orthosilicic acid, metasilicic acid, humic acid, tannic acid, dodecyl sulfuric acid, etc. The method for collecting pathogenic microorganisms according to claim 3 is characterized by this.

5. The method for collecting pathogenic microorganisms according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the carrier is any one of a water-soluble material, a granular body, a gel-like body, a porous body, and a crystal.

6. The method for collecting pathogenic microorganisms according to claim 1, wherein the storage capacity of the carrier is set such that the total surface area of the carrier is larger than the surface area inside the container.

7. The method for collecting pathogenic microorganisms according to claim 1, characterized by having a compression step of compressing the volume of the gas in the container.

8. The method for collecting pathogenic microorganisms according to claim 7, wherein the compression step compresses the volume of the gas in the container by the displacement of a piston that reciprocates in a predetermined direction inside the container.

9. A container capable of accommodating a carrier Means for taking in a target gas from the outside into the container and sealing the target gas in the container A collection device characterized in that it is configured to adsorb or adhere pathogenic microorganisms in the target gas to the carrier accommodated in the container.

10. The collecting device according to claim 9, further comprising means for immersing the carrier to which the pathogenic microorganism is adsorbed or adhered in a lysing solution. **Claim 11**: The collecting device according to claim 9, wherein the storage capacity of the carrier is set such that the total surface area of the carrier is larger than the inner surface area of the container. **Claim 12**: The collecting device according to claim 9, further comprising compressing means for compressing the volume of the gas in the container. **Claim 13**: The collecting device according to claim 12, wherein the compressing means is a piston that reciprocates in a predetermined direction within the container, and the volume of the gas in the container is compressed by the displacement of the piston.

Images