Recovery implement and recovery system

Abstract

This recovery implement (100) recovers subject material contained in a discharged liquid that is discharged from each of a plurality of treatment devices (1A, 1B, 1C) for treating samples. The recovery implement comprises: a plurality of filtration units (110A, 110B, 110C) that are provided corresponding to the plurality of treatment devices, the filtration units filtering the discharged liquid that is discharged from the corresponding treatment devices and extracting the subject material contained in the discharged liquid; a holder (101) that integrally accommodates the plurality of filtration units; and a discharge unit (102) that discharges a waste liquid that has passed through each of the plurality of filtration units. The holder can be detached from the discharge unit together with the plurality of filtration units in which the subject material resides.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a recovery device and a recovery system, and more particularly to a recovery device for recovering a target substance contained in a discharge liquid discharged from each of a plurality of processing devices that process a sample, and a recovery system including the recovery device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a processing device capable of recovering a target substance to be recovered by processing a sample collected from the ocean or soil is known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a purification device that decomposes impurities contained in a sample by introducing a decomposition liquid into a container containing the sample, and recovers a target substance having a specific gravity lighter than that of a heavy liquid by introducing the heavy liquid into the container after the impurities are decomposed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] For example, when it is desired to process a plurality of samples collected at different locations in the ocean or soil in parallel, when it is desired to process a plurality of samples collected by different methods in parallel, or when it is desired to increase the number of specimens to be processed even for samples collected at the same location or by the same method, it may be considered to use a plurality of the devices described in Patent Document 1. However, Patent Document 1 does not sufficiently discuss a method for recovering a target substance when a plurality of devices are used.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide a technique for improving the convenience when processing a sample using a plurality of processing devices.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] A recovery device according to an aspect of the present disclosure recovers a target substance contained in the discharged liquid discharged from each of a plurality of processing devices that process a sample. The recovery device includes a plurality of filtration units provided corresponding to each of the plurality of processing devices, filtering the discharged liquid discharged from the corresponding processing device to extract the target substance contained in the discharged liquid, a holder that integrally houses the plurality of filtration units, and a discharge unit that discharges the waste liquid that has passed through each of the plurality of filtration units. The holder is removable from the discharge unit together with the plurality of filtration units in which the target substance remains.

[0007] A recovery system according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes the above-described recovery device and a plurality of processing devices.

Advantage of the Invention

[0008] According to the present disclosure, the discharged liquid discharged from each of the plurality of processing devices can be filtered by the plurality of filtration units integrally housed by the holder, and the waste liquid that has passed through each of the plurality of filtration units can be discharged. Further, by removing the holder together with the plurality of filtration units, the target substances remaining in each of the plurality of filtration units can be collectively recovered, so that the convenience when processing a sample using the plurality of processing devices can be improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are not repeated.

[0011] [Configuration of the Processing Device] With reference to FIG. 1, the main configuration of the processing device 1 according to the embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the processing device 1 according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the processing device 1 includes a purifier 10 for purifying a mixed sample and a control device 500 for controlling the purifier 10. The processing device 1 processes the mixed sample by controlling the purifier 10 by the control device 500. Specifically, the processing device 1 purifies the mixed sample by controlling the purifier 10 by the control device 500, and recovers the target substance to be recovered contained in the mixed sample. "Purification" includes taking out the target substance from the mixture using a decomposition liquid, a heavy liquid, and the like.

[0012] The "mixed sample" purified by the processing device 1 may be in any form as long as it contains the target substance. For example, examples of the "mixed sample" include seawater and sand collected from the sea or the coast, and processed products such as foods or cosmetics. In the embodiment, seawater and sand collected from the sea or the coast are exemplified as the "mixed sample". Hereinafter, the "mixed sample" is also simply referred to as the "sample".

[0013] The "target substance" to be recovered by the processing device 1 may be in any form as long as it is a component recovered by the processing device 1. For example, examples of the "target substance" include microplastics which are fine plastic particles having a size of 5 mm or less. In the embodiment, microplastics contained in seawater and sand collected from the sea or the coast are exemplified as the "target substance".

[0014] The purifier 10 includes a container 50 for accommodating a sample, pipes 11 to 22, pumps 31 to 33, solenoid valves 41 to 43, ports 61 to 64, a stirrer 71, a stirring bar 72, and a discharge pipe 80.

[0015] The container 50 includes a processing unit 51 for processing a sample and an overflow unit 52 located above the processing unit 51, and the processing unit 51 and the overflow unit 52 are separable. Ports 61 to 64 are connected to the lower part of the processing unit 51. The user opens the container 50 by removing the overflow unit 52 from the processing unit 51 and introduces a sample into the processing unit 51 in the container 50. In the embodiment, the processing unit 51 is configured in a columnar shape with a circular bottom surface, but the bottom surface of the processing unit 51 is not limited to a circular shape and may have other shapes such as a polygon or an ellipse.

[0016] The sample accommodated in the container 50 contains impurities object and the impurities are processed using a processing liquid such as a decomposition liquid in the container 50. "Impurities" are foreign substances other than the target substance in the sample. In the embodiment, organic impurities having the properties of organic substances are exemplified as the "impurities".

[0017] The container 50 has a transmittance that allows the situation of the decomposition treatment of the impurities contained in the sample accommodated in the container 50 to be visually recognized from the outside. For example, the processing unit 51 and the overflow unit 52 of the container 50 are formed of a transparent material (for example, glass) so that the user can visually recognize the inside of the container 50 from the outside. Therefore, the user can confirm the situation of the decomposition treatment of the impurities using the decomposition liquid performed in the container 50 from the outside.

[0018] The pipe 11 connects the decomposition liquid reservoir 210 and the solenoid valve 41. The pipe 12 connects the solenoid valve 41 and the pump 31. The pipe 13 connects the pump 31 and the port 61 provided on the outer peripheral portion of the container 50. In this way, the decomposition liquid reservoir 210 and the port 61 of the container 50 are connected by the pipes 11, 12, and 13 via the solenoid valve 41 and the pump 31.

[0019] The pipe 14 connects the heavy liquid reservoir 220 and the solenoid valve 42. The pipe 15 connects the solenoid valve 42 and the pump 32. The pipe 16 connects the pump 32 and the port 62 provided on the outer peripheral portion of the container 50. In this way, the heavy liquid reservoir 220 and the port 62 of the container 50 are connected by the pipes 14, 15, and 16 via the solenoid valve 42 and the pump 32.

[0020] The pipe 17 connects the rinse liquid reservoir 230 and the solenoid valve 41. That is, while the solenoid valve 41 is connected to the decomposition liquid reservoir 210 by the pipe 11, it is also connected to the rinse liquid reservoir 230 by the pipe 1 7 Thereby, the rinse liquid reservoir 230 and the port 61 of the container 50 are connected by the pipes 17, 12, and 13 via the solenoid valve 41 and the pump 31.

[0021] The pipe 18 connects the rinse liquid reservoir 230 and the solenoid valve 42. That is, while the solenoid valve 42 is connected to the heavy liquid reservoir 220 by the pipe 14, it is also connected to the rinse liquid reservoir 230 by the pipe 18. In this way, the rinse liquid reservoir 230 and the port 62 of the container 50 are connected by the pipes 18, 15, and 16 via the solenoid valve 42 and the pump 32.

[0022] The pipe 19 connects the waste liquid reservoir 240 and the solenoid valve 43. The pipe 20 connects the solenoid valve 43 and the pump 33. The pipe 21 connects the pump 33 and the port 63 provided on the outer peripheral portion of the container 50. In this way, the waste liquid reservoir 240 and the port 63 of the container 50 are connected by the pipes 19, 20, and 21 via the solenoid valve 43 and the pump 33.

[0023] The pipe 22 connects the pump 33 and the port 64 provided on the outer peripheral portion of the container 50. That is, while the pump 33 is connected to the port 63 of the container 50 by the pipe 21, it is also connected to the port 64 of the container 50 by the pipe 22. In this way, the waste liquid reservoir 240 and the port 64 of the container 50 are connected by the pipes 19, 20, 22 via the solenoid valve 43 and the pump 33.

[0024] The pipe 23 connects the waste liquid reservoir 250 and the solenoid valve 43. That is, while the solenoid valve 43 is connected to the waste liquid reservoir 240 by the pipe 19, it is also connected to the waste liquid reservoir 250 by the pipe 23. In this way, the waste liquid reservoir 250 and the port 63 of the container 50 are connected by the pipes 23, 20, 21 via the solenoid valve 43 and the pump 33. Also, the waste liquid reservoir 250 and the port 64 of the container 50 are connected by the pipes 23, 20, 22 via the solenoid valve 43 and the pump 33.

[0025] The decomposition liquid reservoir 210 stores a treatment liquid for treating impurities. The "treatment liquid" may be in any form as long as it can treat organic impurities. In the embodiment, as the "treatment liquid", a decomposition liquid for decomposing organic impurities is exemplified. The "decomposition liquid" is, for example, an oxidizing agent such as hydrogen peroxide solution (H2O2), a mixture of hydrogen peroxide solution (H2O2) and iron(II) oxide (FeO). When the "sample" is seawater and sand, the "organic impurities" are, for example, wood chips and plankton mixed in seawater or sand.

[0026] The heavy liquid reservoir 220 stores a heavy liquid for separating a sample by a specific gravity difference. The "heavy liquid" may be in any form as long as it can separate the sample by a specific gravity difference. In an embodiment, the "heavy liquid" causes inorganic impurities having the properties of inorganic substances to settle by a specific gravity difference. The "heavy liquid" is, for example, sodium chloride (NaCl), sodium iodide (NaI), zinc chloride (ZnCl2), etc. When the "sample" is seawater and sand, the "inorganic impurities" are sand, glass, or stone, etc. The specific gravity of the "heavy liquid" is set to be greater than the specific gravity of the "target substance" to be recovered by the processing device 1 and less than the specific gravity of the "inorganic impurities". For example, when the "target substance" to be recovered by the processing device 1 is microplastics and the "inorganic impurities" are sand, glass, or stone, etc., the specific gravity of the "heavy liquid" is set to be greater than the specific gravity of the microplastics and less than the specific gravity of sand, glass, and stone, etc. Specifically, the specific gravity of the "heavy liquid" is set to be about 1.5 to about 1.7.

[0027] The rinse liquid reservoir 230 stores a rinse liquid, which is a cleaning liquid for cleaning the inside of the container 50. The "rinse liquid" may be in any form as long as it can clean the inside of the container 50. The "rinse liquid" is, for example, water, etc. In addition to the role of cleaning the inside of the container 50, the "rinse liquid" also has the role of diluting the decomposition liquid introduced into the container 50.

[0028] The waste liquid reservoirs 240 and 250 store waste liquids such as the heavy liquid, decomposition liquid, rinse liquid, and seawater contained in the sample discharged from the container 50.

[0029] Pump 31 introduces the decomposition liquid in the decomposition liquid reservoir 210 or the rinsing liquid in the rinsing liquid reservoir 230 into the container 50 via port 61 according to the control of the control device 500. For example, pump 31 sucks in the decomposition liquid or the rinsing liquid via pipe 12 and discharges the decomposition liquid or the rinsing liquid to port 61 via pipe 13 by reducing the pressure on the suction side and increasing the pressure on the discharge side according to the control of the control device 500. The control device 500 can adjust the delivery volume (suction volume, discharge volume) of pump 31 by controlling pump 31.

[0030] Pump 32 introduces the heavy liquid in the heavy liquid reservoir 220 or the rinsing liquid in the rinsing liquid reservoir 230 into the container 50 via port 62 according to the control of the control device 500. For example, pump 32 sucks in the heavy liquid or the rinsing liquid via pipe 15 and discharges the heavy liquid or the rinsing liquid to port 62 via pipe 16 by reducing the pressure on the suction side and increasing the pressure on the discharge side according to the control of the control device 500. The control device 500 can adjust the delivery volume (suction volume, discharge volume) of pump 32 by controlling pump 32.

[0031] Pump 33 discharges the unnecessary liquid in the container 50 as waste liquid to the waste liquid reservoir 240 or the waste liquid reservoir 250 via port 63 or port 64 according to the control of the control device 500. For example, pump 33 sucks in the waste liquid in the container 50 via pipes 21 and 22 and discharges the waste liquid to the waste liquid reservoirs 240 and 250 via pipe 20 by reducing the pressure on the suction side and increasing the pressure on the discharge side according to the control of the control device 500. The control device 500 can adjust the delivery volume (suction volume, discharge volume) of pump 33 by controlling pump 33.

[0032] The solenoid valve 41 switches the path connected to port 61 of the container 50 between the decomposition liquid reservoir 210 and the rinsing liquid reservoir 230 according to the control of the control device 500.

[0033] The solenoid valve 42 switches the path connected to the port 62 of the container 50 between the heavy liquid reservoir 220 and the rinse liquid reservoir 230 according to the control of the control device 500.

[0034] The solenoid valve 43 switches the path connected to the ports 63 and 64 of the container 50 between the waste liquid reservoir 240 and the waste liquid reservoir 250 according to the control of the control device 500. For example, the waste liquid containing the heavy liquid is discharged into the waste liquid reservoir 240, and the waste liquid containing the decomposition liquid is discharged into the waste liquid reservoir 250.

[0035] The port 61 introduces the decomposition liquid from the decomposition liquid reservoir 210 or the rinse liquid from the rinse liquid reservoir 230 sent by the pump 31 into the container 50. The port 62 introduces the heavy liquid from the heavy liquid reservoir 220 or the rinse liquid from the rinse liquid reservoir 230 sent by the pump 32 into the container 50. The ports 63 and 64 discharge the waste liquid in the container 50 to the pump 33 by driving the pump 33. The waste liquid sent by the pump 33 is discharged into the waste liquid reservoir 240 or the waste liquid reservoir 250.

[0036] The purifier 10 further includes a strainer 300 that supplements the target substance contained in the sample capture and holds it in the container 50. The strainer 300 is provided inside the processing unit 51 located below the dividable container 50. Also, the strainer 300 generally has a cage shape and has a mesh size capable of capturing microplastics as the target substance. For example, the strainer 300 is made of SUS (Steel Use Stainless) and has a plurality of openings sized to capture microplastics as the target substance. When the target substance is microplastics, the mesh size of the strainer 300 needs to be such that particles of 0.1 mm to 5.0 mm do not pass through, and about 0.1 mm is preferred.

[0037] The stirrer 71 is, for example, a constant-temperature stirrer and is disposed below the processing unit 51 in the container 50. The stirrer 71 stirs the sample in the container 50 by rotating the stir bar 72 provided in the container 50 according to the control of the control device 500. Further, the stirrer 71 keeps the temperature of the sample in the container 50 constant by applying heat to the container 50 from below the container 50.

[0038] The discharge pipe 80 is connected to the discharge port 55 provided at the uppermost part of the overflow part 52 in the container 50, and overflows and discharges the supernatant of the sample containing the target substance from the container 50 to the outside.

[0039] The filtration unit 110 recovers the target substance contained in the supernatant by filtering the supernatant of the sample discharged from the discharge pipe 80. The supernatant that has passed through the filtration unit 110 is recovered by the waste liquid reservoir 260. The filtration unit 110 has a mesh size capable of capturing microplastics as the target substance. For example, the filtration unit 110 is a wire mesh made of SUS or a membrane filter made of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) (Teflon (registered trademark)). When the target substance is microplastics, the mesh size of the filtration unit 110 needs to be such that particles of 0.1 mm to 5.0 mm do not pass through, and about 0.1 mm is preferred.

[0040] The control device 500 may be realized by a general-purpose computer or may be realized by a dedicated computer for controlling the purifier 10. For example, the control device 500 may be an information terminal that executes predetermined information processing, such as a desktop PC (personal computer), a laptop PC, a smartphone, a smartwatch, a wearable device, and a tablet PC. The control device 500 controls the pumps 31 to 33, the solenoid valves 41 to 43, and the stirrer 71 in the purifier 10. The control device 500 corresponds to an embodiment of the "computer" in the present disclosure.

[0041] [Hardware Configuration] While referring to FIG. 2, the hardware configuration of the processing device 1 will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the hardware configuration of the processing device 1 according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the control device 500 includes, as main hardware elements, an arithmetic device 501, a memory 502, a communication device 503, a display device 504, an input device 505, a data reading device 506, and a storage 510.

[0042] The arithmetic unit 501 is a processor that reads programs (for example, control program 511 and OS (Operating System) 513) stored in the storage 510, expands the read programs in the memory 502, and executes them. For example, by executing the control program 511, the arithmetic unit 501 executes processes for controlling the purifier 10 (for example, the processes of FIGS. 3 and 4 described later). A processor, which is an example of the arithmetic unit 501, is composed of, for example, a microcontroller, a CPU (central processing unit), or an MPU (Micro-processing unit). Note that although the processor has a function of executing various processes by executing programs, some or all of these functions may be implemented using a dedicated hardware circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array). The "processor" is not limited to a narrow sense processor that executes processes in a stored program manner such as a CPU or an MPU, and may include a hardwired circuit such as an ASIC or an FPGA. Therefore, the processor can also be read as a processing circuitry whose processing is defined in advance by computer-readable code and / or a hardwired circuit. Note that the arithmetic unit 501 may be composed of one chip or a plurality of chips. Further, the processor and related processing circuits may be composed of a plurality of computers interconnected by wire or wirelessly via a local area network or a wireless network. The processor and related processing circuits may be composed of a cloud computer that remotely calculates based on input data and outputs the calculation result to another device located at a remote position.

[0043] Memory 502 provides a storage area for temporarily storing program codes, work memories, etc. when the arithmetic unit 501 executes an arbitrary program. Memory 502 may be one or more non-transitory computer readable media. Memory 502 is composed of a volatile memory such as DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) or SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), or a non-volatile memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory) or flash memory.

[0044] The communication device 503 includes an interface for outputting a control signal for controlling the pumps 31 to 33, solenoid valves 41 to 43, or stirrer 71 of the purifier 10. Further, the communication device 503 may include an interface for transmitting and receiving data to and from other devices via a network (not shown). In this case, the communication device 503 corresponds to an arbitrary communication method such as, for example, Ethernet (registered trademark), wireless LAN (Local Area Network), Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0045] The display device 504 is composed of, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), and displays a design screen of a program related to the control of the purifier 10, a setting screen related to the control of the purifier 10, or an alert screen at the time of abnormality.

[0046] The input device 505 is composed of, for example, a keyboard or a mouse, and is operated by the user. Note that the input device 505 may be a touch panel provided on the screen of the display device 504. When the user operates the input device 505, an input signal corresponding to the operation is input to the arithmetic unit 501. When receiving the input signal from the input device 505, the arithmetic unit 501 outputs a control signal based on the input by the user to pumps 31 to 33, solenoid valves 41 to 43, or stirrer 71 of the purifier 10. Pumps 31 to 33, solenoid valves 41 to 43, or stirrer 71 operate according to the control signal from the arithmetic unit 501.

[0047] The data reading device 506 reads the data stored in the recording medium 507. The recording medium 507 may be a non-transitory and tangible computer readable storage medium. The recording medium 507 may be in any form as long as it can record various types of data, such as a CD (Compact Disc), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory.

[0048] The storage 510 provides a storage area for storing various types of data necessary for purification processing and the like. The storage 510 may be one or more computer readable storage media. The storage 510 is composed of, for example, a non-volatile memory device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive). The storage 510 stores the control program 511, the control data 512, and the OS 513.

[0049] The control program 511 is a program that describes the content of the purification process for purifying a sample, and is executed by the arithmetic unit 501. The control program 511 may be designed by the user using the input device 505, may be read from the recording medium 507 by the data reading device 506, or may be acquired from another device such as a server via the network by the communication device 503.

[0050] The control data 512 is data used when the arithmetic unit 501 executes the control program 511. For example, the control data 512 includes data such as set values for controlling the pumps 31 to 33, the solenoid valves 41 to 43, and the stirrer 71. The control data 512 may be input by the user using the input device 505, may be read from the recording medium 507 by the data reading device 506, or may be acquired from another device such as a server via the network by the communication device 503.

[0051] The OS 513 provides basic functions for the arithmetic unit 501 to execute various processes.

[0052] [Purification process] Referring to FIG. 3, the purification process of the sample executed by the processing device 1 will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the purification process executed by the control device 500 of the processing device 1 according to the embodiment. Each step shown in FIG. 3 is realized by the arithmetic unit 501 of the control device 500 executing the OS 513 and the control program 511.

[0053] First, as a preparation for the purification process, the user removes the overflow part 52 from processing part 51 each to open the container 50, and introduces the sample into the inside of the processing part 51 in the container 50. Then, the user starts the control of the purifier 10 by the control device 500 by performing a start operation using the input device 505 of the control device 500.

[0054] When the control of the purifier 10 by the control device 500 is started, the control device 500 discharges the liquid contained in the sample accommodated in the container 50 as waste liquid to the waste liquid reservoir 250 through the pipes 20 to 23 and the ports 63 and 64 by controlling the pump 33 and the solenoid valve 43 on the discharge side (S1). Note that substances other than the liquid such as microplastics are captured by the strainer 300 provided inside the container 50 and held inside the container 50.

[0055] The control device 500 executes a decomposition process for decomposing the organic impurities contained in the sample accommodated in the container 50 using the decomposition liquid (S2). Specifically, while stopping the pump 33 on the discharge side, the control device 500 controls the pump 31 and the solenoid valve 41 on the introduction side to introduce the decomposition liquid in the decomposition liquid reservoir 210 into the container 50 through the pipes 11 to 13 and the port 61.

[0056] At this time, the control device 500 introduces a preset amount of the decomposition liquid into the container 50 by controlling the delivery amount of the pump 31. For example, the decomposition of the impurities using the decomposition liquid needs to be performed inside the processing unit 51 provided with the strainer 300 in order to enable the strainer 300 to capture the microplastics. For this reason, the introduction amount of the decomposition liquid in S1 is set to be equal to or less than the capacity of the processing unit 51, for example, 150 ml or less.

[0057] After introducing the decomposition liquid, the control device 500 rotates the stirrer 72 provided in the container 50 while applying a certain amount of heat to the container 50 by controlling the stirrer 71 to stir the sample (S3). The temperature inside the container 50, the rotation speed of the stirrer 72, and the rotation time are preset by the user. In this way, the control device 500 can promote the decomposition of the organic impurities using the decomposition liquid by stirring the sample while applying heat. Note that heating is not necessarily required during the stirring of the sample, but the decomposition of the organic impurities is promoted by maintaining the temperature of the sample at a constant temperature by heating.

[0058] After the decomposition process, the control device 500 discharges the waste liquid in the container 50 included in the sample after the decomposition process of the organic contaminants to the waste liquid reservoir 250 through the pipes 20 to 23 and the ports 63 and 64 by controlling the pump 33 and the solenoid valve 43 on the discharge side (S4). Note that the microplastics of the target substance are captured by the strainer 300 provided inside the container 50 and held inside the container 50.

[0059] While stopping the pump 33 on the discharge side, the control device 500 introduces the rinse liquid in the rinse liquid reservoir 230 into the container 50 through the pipes 17, 12, 13 and the port 61 by controlling the pump 31 and the solenoid valve 41 on the introduction side to wash the inside of the container 50 (S5). At this time, the control device 500 introduces a preset amount of rinse liquid into the container 50 by controlling the delivery amount of the pump 31. The introduction amount of the rinse liquid in S4 is set to be equal to or less than the capacity of the processing unit 51, for example, 150 ml or less.

[0060] While stopping the pump 31 on the introduction side, the control device 500 discharges the waste liquid after washing with the rinse liquid to the waste liquid reservoir 250 through the pipes 20 to 23 and the ports 63 and 64 by controlling the pump 33 and the solenoid valve 43 on the discharge side (S6). Thereby, the inside of the container 50 is washed with the rinse liquid. Note that the microplastics of the target substance are captured by the strainer 300 provided inside the container 50 and held inside the container 50. Thereafter, the control device 500 may dry the sample by leaving the sample as it is for a predetermined period (for example, one day).

[0061] While stopping the pump 33 on the discharge side, the control device 500 introduces the heavy liquid in the heavy liquid reservoir 220 into the container 50 through the pipes 14 to 16 and the port 62 by controlling the pump 32 and the solenoid valve 42 on the introduction side (S7). At this time, the control device 500 introduces a preset amount of heavy liquid into the container 50 by controlling the delivery amount of the pump 32.

[0062] With the pump 32 on the introduction side stopped, the control device 500 leaves the sample as it is for a predetermined period (for example, one day) (S8). When the heavy liquid is introduced into the sample in the container 50 and left in this way, the inorganic impurities contained in the sample settle near the bottom of the container 50 due to the difference in specific gravity. On the other hand, the microplastics of the target substance, which are lighter in specific gravity than the heavy liquid, float on the liquid surface of the heavy liquid.

[0063] The control device 500 controls the pump 32 and the solenoid valve 42 again to reintroduce the heavy liquid in the heavy liquid reservoir 220 into the container 50 through the pipes 14 to 16 and the port 62 (S9). At this time, the control device 500 controls the delivery amount of the pump 32 to introduce a preset amount of heavy liquid into the container 50 by the user. When the heavy liquid is reintroduced into the sample in the container 50 in this way, the liquid level of the sample separated by specific gravity gradually rises in the container 50, and eventually the supernatant of the sample reaches the discharge port 55 of the container 50. Then, the supernatant of the sample is discharged to the outside as discharged liquid through the discharge port 55 and the discharge pipe 80.

[0064] The discharged liquid discharged through the discharge pipe 80 is filtered by the filtration unit 110, and only the waste liquid that has passed through the filtration unit 110 is collected by the waste liquid reservoir 260. Microplastics, which are components lighter in specific gravity than the heavy liquid, remain in the filtration unit 110.

[0065] After the microplastics are recovered by purifying the sample, the control device 500 cleans the inside of the container 50 as a post-treatment. Specifically, the control device 500 controls the pump 33 on the discharge side and the solenoid valve 43 to discharge the waste liquid in the container 50 after the microplastics are recovered to the waste liquid reservoir 240 through the pipes 19 to 22 and the ports 63, 64 (S10).

[0066] The control device 500 stops the pump 33 on the discharge side, and while controlling the pump 32 and the solenoid valve 42 on the introduction side, introduces the rinsing liquid in the rinsing liquid reservoir 230 into the container 50 through the pipes 18, 15, 16 and the port 62 to wash the inside of the container 50 (S11). At this time, the control device 500 introduces a preset amount of rinsing liquid into the container 50 by controlling the delivery amount of the pump 32.

[0067] The control device 500 stops the pump 32 on the introduction side, and while controlling the pump 33 and the solenoid valve 43 on the discharge side, discharges the waste liquid in the container 50 after the rinsing liquid is introduced into the waste liquid reservoir 240 through the pipes 19 to 22 and the ports 63, 64 (S12). Thereby, the inside of the container 50 is washed with the rinsing liquid. Then, the control device 500 ends the processing according to this flow.

[0068] As described above, according to the processing device 1 according to the embodiment, the control device 500 automatically introduces the decomposition liquid and the heavy liquid into the sample contained in the container 50 at appropriate timing and for an appropriate time, and also discharges the waste liquid from the container 50. For this reason, the user does not need to introduce the decomposition liquid and the heavy liquid into the container 50 and discharge the waste liquid from the container 50 by himself / herself. Furthermore, according to the processing device 1 according to the embodiment, the control device 500 automatically washes the used container 50 after collecting the microplastics. Thereby, the user can stably collect the microplastics without depending on his / her skill, and can purify the sample accurately.

[0069] [Recovery instrument] As described above, after the processing device 1 performs a decomposition process on the sample contained in the container 50, a liquid containing the target substance having a specific gravity lighter than that of the heavy liquid is discharged to the outside as discharged liquid through the discharge port 55 and the discharge pipe 80 by introducing the heavy liquid into the container after the contaminants are decomposed. For example, when it is desired to process a plurality of samples collected from different locations such as the ocean or soil in parallel, when it is desired to process a plurality of samples collected by different methods in parallel, or even when it is desired to increase the number of specimens to be processed for samples collected at the same location or by the same method, it is conceivable to use a plurality of processing devices 1. By using a plurality of processing devices 1, as a pretreatment for the analysis process of analyzing the sample, a plurality of samples can be purified in parallel or simultaneously by each of the plurality of processing devices 1, thereby improving the convenience for the user.

[0070] However, when a plurality of samples are purified in parallel or simultaneously by each of the plurality of processing devices 1, the user must prepare a plurality of collecting devices for separately collecting the discharged liquid discharged from each processing device 1 without mixing them due to the action of the heavy liquid. For example, when using the processing device 1 shown in FIG. 1, the user needs to prepare collecting devices such as a filtering unit 110 for filtering the discharged liquid discharged from the discharge pipe 80 and a waste liquid reservoir 260 for receiving the waste liquid that has passed through the filtering unit 110, in the number corresponding to the number of processing devices 1. For this reason, the user must secure a place for installing a plurality of collecting devices corresponding to each of the plurality of processing devices 1, and furthermore, labor for individually installing the plurality of collecting devices is also required.

[0071] Also, when a plurality of samples are purified in parallel or simultaneously by each of the plurality of processing devices 1, if the plurality of filtering units 110 corresponding to each of the plurality of processing devices 1 are not correctly distinguished, there is a risk that the target substances collected by each filtering unit 110 will be mixed.

[0072] Therefore, the present disclosure provides a collecting device 100 for collectively collecting the target substances contained in the discharged liquid discharged from each of the plurality of processing devices 1, and a collecting system 1000 including the collecting device 100.

[0073] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the main configurations of the recovery device 100 and the recovery system 1000 according to the embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the recovery system 1000 according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the recovery device 100 according to the embodiment.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 4, the recovery system 1000 according to the embodiment includes a plurality of processing devices 1A, 1B, 1C and a recovery device 100. The recovery device 100 is a device for receiving the discharged liquid discharged from the discharge pipes 80A, 80B, 80C of the plurality of processing devices 1A, 1B, 1C and recovering the target substance contained in the discharged liquid discharged from each of the processing devices 1A, 1B, 1C.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 5, the recovery device 100 includes a plurality of filtration units 110A, 110B, 110C, a holder 101, a discharge unit 102, a slide unit 103, and a gripping unit 104.

[0076] The plurality of filtration units 110A, 110B, 110C correspond to the filtration unit 110 described with reference to FIG. 1, and recover the target substance contained in the supernatant by filtering the supernatant of the sample discharged from the discharge pipe 80. The plurality of filtration units 110A, 110B, 110C are provided corresponding to each of the plurality of processing devices 1. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the filtration unit 110A is disposed near the outlet of the discharge pipe 80A of the processing device 1A and receives the discharged liquid discharged from the discharge pipe 80A. The filtration unit 110B is disposed near the outlet of the discharge pipe 80B of the processing device 1B and receives the discharged liquid discharged from the discharge pipe 80B. The filtration unit 110C is disposed near the outlet of the discharge pipe 80C of the processing device 1C and receives the discharged liquid discharged from the discharge pipe 80C.

[0077] The holder 101 integrally houses a plurality of filtration units 110. Specifically, inside the holder 101, a plurality of hole-shaped accommodating portions 106 for arranging each of the plurality of filtration units 110 are formed. The user can attach the filtration unit 110 to the holder 101 by fitting the filtration unit 110 into the accommodating portion 106. In the example of FIG. 5, the filtration unit 110A is fitted into the accommodating portion 106A, the filtration unit 110B is fitted into the accommodating portion 106B, and the filtration unit 110C is fitted into the accommodating portion 106C. The user can accommodate each of the plurality of filtration units 110 in the accommodating portion 106 at a desired position. The bottom of the accommodating portion 106 is open so that the waste liquid that has passed through the filtration unit 110 flows downward and reaches the discharge portion 102.

[0078] A plurality of identification information 107 for identifying each of the plurality of filtration units 110 are added to the holder 101. In the example of FIG. 5, the identification information 107A of "A" is added near the accommodating portion 106A in which the filtration unit 110A is accommodated, the identification information 107B of "B" is added near the accommodating portion 106B in which the filtration unit 110B is accommodated, and the identification information 107C of "C" is added near the accommodating portion 106C in which the filtration unit 110C is accommodated. Thereby, the user can correctly distinguish the plurality of filtration units 110 by checking the plurality of identification information 107 corresponding to each of the plurality of filtration units 110 attached to the holder 101.

[0079] The discharge portion 102 is provided below the holder 101, receives the waste liquid that has passed through each of the plurality of filtration units 110, and discharges it to a waste liquid reservoir 260 or the like. The discharge portion 102 includes a receiving portion 1021 and a discharge port 1022. The receiving portion 1021 is provided so as to cover the lower part of the plurality of accommodating portions 106 formed in the holder 101, and collectively receives the waste liquid that has passed through each of the plurality of filtration units 110 accommodated in the holder 101. The receiving portion 1021 is formed in a funnel shape and introduces the waste liquid collectively received from each of the plurality of filtration units 110 to a common discharge port 1022. The discharge port 1022 discharges the waste liquid that has passed through each of the plurality of filtration units 110 and flowed through the receiving portion 1021 to a waste liquid reservoir 260 or the like.

[0080] The slide portion 103 is provided below the holder 101 and is configured to operate integrally with the holder 101. When the holder 101 and the slide portion 103 are attached above the discharge portion 102, the slide portion 103 is disposed between the holder 101 and the discharge portion 102. The slide portion 103 can slide horizontally, for example, on the discharge portion 102, and can be removed from the discharge portion 102 by sliding beyond the length of the discharge portion 102. When the slide portion 103 slides on the discharge portion 102, the holder 101 configured integrally with the slide portion 103 can also slide on the discharge portion 102, and the holder 101 can also be removed from the discharge portion 102 by sliding beyond the length of the discharge portion 102.

[0081] The gripping portion 104 is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the holder 101. More preferably, the gripping portion 104 is provided at a position corresponding to the sliding direction on the outer peripheral portion of the holder 101. The user can grip the gripping portion 104 and slide the holder 101 and the slide portion 103 while gripping the gripping portion 104. In the example of FIG. 5, the gripping portion 104 is provided on the holder 101, but the gripping portion 104 may be provided on the slide portion 103.

[0082] By using the recovery device 100 configured as described above, the user can recover the target substance contained in the discharged liquid discharged from each of the plurality of processing devices 1 in parallel or simultaneously using the recovery device 100. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the user individually arranges the plurality of discharge pipes 80 of each of the plurality of processing devices 1 to correspond to the plurality of filtration units 110 attached to the recovery device 100. With the plurality of processing devices 1 connected to the recovery device 100, the user purifies a plurality of samples in parallel or simultaneously by each of the plurality of processing devices 1. The discharged liquid discharged from each of the plurality of processing devices 1 is filtered by the plurality of filtration units 110 corresponding to each of the plurality of processing devices 1. As a result, the target substance purified by the corresponding processing device 1 is recovered in each of the plurality of filtration units 110. The waste liquid that has passed through each of the plurality of filtration units 110 is collected by the receiving unit 1021 and discharged to a waste liquid reservoir 260 or the like through the discharge port 1022.

[0083] FIG. 5(A) shows the recovery device 100 before the holder 101 and the slide portion 103 slide, and FIG. 5(B) shows the recovery device 100 after the holder 101 and the slide portion 103 slide. As shown in FIG. 5, the user can remove the plurality of filtration units 110 integrally accommodated in the holder 101 from the discharge portion 102 together with the holder 101 by sliding the slide portion 103 together with the holder 101. Therefore, the user can collectively obtain each target substance recovered from each processing device 1 by grasping the gripping portion 104 and sliding the holder 101 to remove it from the discharge portion 102. Then, the user can collectively pass each target substance accommodated in the holder 101 to the next analysis step.

[0084] In this way, the user can collect the target substances obtained by each of the plurality of processing devices 1 together using a single recovery device 100 without securing a place for installing a plurality of recovery devices corresponding to each of the plurality of processing devices 1 or installing the plurality of recovery devices individually. For example, the user can simultaneously purify a plurality of samples collected from different coasts using each of the plurality of processing devices 1, and collect the target substances such as microplastics obtained by the purification together using a single recovery device 100. Thus, the recovery device 100 and the recovery system 1000 according to the embodiment can improve the convenience when purifying samples using a plurality of processing devices 1.

[0085] Further, since the processing device 1 discharges the discharge liquid by overflow using a heavy liquid, as shown in FIG. 4, the tip of the discharge pipe 80 is connected to the holder 101 from above to below above the filtration unit 110. In this regard, the holder 101 is not removed by lifting it upward above the discharge unit 102, but is removed by sliding on the discharge unit 102 by the slide unit 103. Thereby, the user can easily remove the holder 101 from the discharge unit 102 without being obstructed by the tip of the discharge pipe 80. Note that the holder 101 may be removable by lifting it upward above the discharge unit 102.

[0086] Also, the user can collect the waste liquid that has passed through each of the plurality of filtration units 110 by the receiving unit 1021 and discharge it together to a waste liquid reservoir 260 or the like through the discharge port 1022.

[0087] Furthermore, the user can distinguish the target substances recovered by each of the plurality of filtration units 110 without mixing them by the identification information 107 added to the holder 101 removed from the discharge unit 102.

[0088] [Recovery device according to a modified example] The recovery device 100 according to the embodiment has been described above. However, the recovery device of the present disclosure may be configured like the recovery device 600 according to the modification example shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the recovery device 600 according to the modification example.

[0089] As shown in FIG. 6, the recovery device 600 includes a plurality of discharge parts 102 corresponding to each of the plurality of filtration parts 110. In the example of FIG. 6, the recovery device 600 includes a plurality of discharge parts 102A, 102B, and 102C. The discharge part 102A includes a receiving part 1021A and a discharge port 1022A, receives the waste liquid that has passed through the filtration part 110A by the receiving part 1021A, and discharges it through the discharge port 1022A. The discharge part 102B includes a receiving part 1021B and a discharge port 1022B, receives the waste liquid that has passed through the filtration part 110B by the receiving part 1021B, and discharges it through the discharge port 1022B. The discharge part 102C includes a receiving part 1021C and a discharge port 1022C, receives the waste liquid that has passed through the filtration part 110C by the receiving part 1021C, and discharges it through the discharge port 1022C.

[0090] In this way, by including a plurality of discharge parts 102 corresponding to each of the plurality of filtration parts 110, the recovery device 600 can discharge the waste liquid discharged from each of the plurality of processing devices 1 to the outside without mixing them.

[0091] (Aspect) (Item 1) A recovery device according to an aspect recovers a target substance contained in the discharged liquid discharged from each of a plurality of processing devices that process a sample. The recovery device includes a plurality of filtration parts provided corresponding to each of the plurality of processing devices, which filter the discharged liquid discharged from the corresponding processing device and extract the target substance contained in the discharged liquid, a holder that integrally houses the plurality of filtration parts, and a discharge part that discharges the waste liquid that has passed through each of the plurality of filtration parts. The holder is removable from the discharge part together with the plurality of filtration parts in which the target substance remains.

[0092] According to the recovery device described in claim 1, the plurality of filtration units integrally accommodated by the holder filter the discharge liquid discharged from each of the plurality of processing devices, and the waste liquid that has passed through each of the plurality of filtration units can be discharged. Further, by removing the holder together with the plurality of filtration units, the target substances remaining in each of the plurality of filtration units can be collected together, so that the convenience when processing a sample using the plurality of processing devices can be improved.

[0093] (Claim 2) The recovery device described in claim 1 further includes a slide portion provided between the holder and the discharge portion and removable from the discharge portion by sliding on the discharge portion together with the holder.

[0094] According to the recovery device described in claim 2, the user can easily remove the holder from the discharge portion by sliding the slide portion together with the holder.

[0095] (Claim 3) The recovery device described in claim 2 further includes a gripping portion that can be gripped by the user to slide the holder on the discharge portion.

[0096] According to the recovery device described in claim 3, the user can easily slide the slide portion together with the holder while gripping the gripping portion.

[0097] (Claim 4) In the recovery device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the discharge portion includes a common discharge port for discharging the waste liquid that has passed through each of the plurality of filtration units.

[0098] According to the recovery device described in claim 4, the user can discharge the waste liquid that has passed through each of the plurality of filtration units together through the common discharge port.

[0099] (Claim 5) In the recovery device described in claim 4, the discharge portion includes a funnel-shaped receiving portion that can receive the waste liquid that has passed through each of the plurality of filtration units and introduce it into the discharge port.

[0100] According to the recovery device described in claim 5, the user can collect the waste liquid that has passed through each of the plurality of filtration units by means of the receiving unit and discharge it collectively through the common discharge port.

[0101] (Claim 6) In the recovery device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, the discharge unit includes a plurality of discharge ports for individually discharging the waste liquid that has passed through the plurality of filtration units. respectively

[0102] According to the recovery device described in claim 6, the user can discharge the waste liquid that has passed through each of the plurality of filtration units through the corresponding discharge port without mixing them.

[0103] (Claim 7) In the recovery device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, the holder includes a plurality of accommodation parts for arranging each of the plurality of filtration units.

[0104] According to the recovery device described in claim 7, the user can integrally accommodate the plurality of filtration units in the holder by arranging each of the plurality of filtration units in the plurality of accommodation parts provided in the holder.

[0105] (Claim 8) In the recovery device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, a plurality of identification information for identifying each of the plurality of filtration units is added to the holder.

[0106] According to the recovery device described in claim 8, the user can distinguish the target substances recovered by each of the plurality of filtration units without mixing them based on the identification information added to the holder.

[0107] (Claim 9) In the recovery device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, each of the plurality of processing devices includes a container for accommodating a sample and separating the sample by specific gravity difference using a heavy liquid, and a discharge pipe for discharging the discharged liquid generated by the separation to the recovery device. Each of the plurality of filtration units is arranged with respect to the discharge pipe of the corresponding processing device.

[0108] According to the recovery device described in claim 9, the user can collect the target substances obtained by simultaneously processing a plurality of samples by each of the plurality of processing devices by arranging the discharge pipes of each of the plurality of processing devices in the corresponding filtration units, using the recovery device.

[0109] (Claim 10) In the recovery device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, the target substance is microplastic.

[0110] According to the recovery device described in claim 10, since the microplastics remaining in each of the plurality of filtration units can be collected together, the convenience when processing samples using the plurality of processing devices can be improved.

[0111] (Claim 11) A recovery system according to one aspect includes the recovery device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 and a plurality of processing devices.

[0112] According to the recovery system described in claim 11, the discharged liquid discharged from each of the plurality of processing devices can be filtered by the plurality of filtration units integrally accommodated by the holder, and the waste liquid that has passed through each of the plurality of filtration units can be discharged. Further, by removing the holder together with the plurality of filtration units, the target substances remaining in each of the plurality of filtration units can be collected together, so that the convenience when processing samples using the plurality of processing devices can be improved.

[0113] The embodiments disclosed this time should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown not by the description of the above-described embodiments but by the claims, and it is intended that all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims are included.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0114] 1, 1A, 1B, 1C processing device, 10 purifier, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 pipes, 31, 32, 33 pumps, 41, 42, 43 solenoid valves, 50 container, 51 processing unit, 52 overflow section, 55 discharge port, 61, 62, 63, 64 ports, 71 stirrer, 72 stirring bar, 80, 80A, 80B, 80C discharge pipes, 100, 600 recovery devices, 101 holder, 102, 102A, 102B, 102C discharge sections, 103 slide section, 104 gripping section, 106, 106A, 106B, 106C storage sections, 107, 107A, 107B, 107C identification information, 110, 110A, 110B, 110C filtration sections, 210 decomposition liquid reservoir, 220 heavy liquid reservoir, 230 rinse liquid reservoir, 240, 250, 260 waste liquid reservoirs, 300 strainer, 500 control device, 501 arithmetic unit, 502 memory, 503 communication device, 504 display device, 505 input device, 506 data reading device, 507 recording medium, 510 storage, 511 control program, 512 control data, 1000 recovery system, 1021, 1021A, 1021B, 1021C receiving sections, 1022, 1022A, 1022B, 1022C discharge ports.

Claims

1. A recovery device for recovering a target substance contained in a discharge liquid discharged from each of a plurality of treatment devices for treating a sample, comprising: a plurality of filtration units provided corresponding to the plurality of treatment devices, respectively, for filtering a discharged liquid discharged from the corresponding treatment device to extract the target substance contained in the discharged liquid; a holder that integrally houses the plurality of filtering units; a discharge section that discharges waste liquid that has passed through each of the plurality of filtration sections, The holder is removable from the discharge section together with the plurality of filtering sections in which the target substance remains.

2. The retrieval tool of claim 1 , further comprising a slide portion disposed between the holder and the ejection portion and removable from the ejection portion by sliding on the ejection portion together with the holder.

3. The retrieval tool of claim 2 , further comprising a grip portion that is grippable by a user to slide the holder over the ejection portion.

4. The retrieval tool of claim 1 , wherein the drainage section includes a common drainage port for draining waste liquid that has passed through each of the plurality of filtration sections.

5. The retrieval tool according to claim 4 , wherein the discharge section includes a funnel-shaped receiving section capable of receiving waste liquid that has passed through each of the plurality of filtering sections and introducing the waste liquid into the discharge port.

6. The retrieval tool of claim 1 , wherein the discharge section includes a plurality of discharge ports that individually discharge waste liquid that has passed through each of the plurality of filtering sections.

7. The retrieval device of claim 1 , wherein the holder includes a plurality of receiving portions for disposing each of the plurality of filtering portions.

8. The retrieval tool according to claim 1 , wherein the holder is provided with a plurality of pieces of identification information for identifying each of the plurality of filtering sections.

9. Each of the plurality of processing devices includes a container for accommodating the sample and for separating the sample based on a specific gravity difference using a heavy liquid, and a discharge pipe for discharging a discharge liquid generated by the separation to the collection device; The retrieval device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of filtration sections is positioned relative to the outlet tube of a corresponding processing device.

10. The retrieval device of claim 1 , wherein the target material is microplastics.

11. The retrieval device of claim 1 ; and a plurality of the processing devices.