Disposable Tip Liquid Chromatography Sample Loading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated liquid handling systems in liquid chromatography face issues such as carryover contamination, excess sample usage due to dead space, and limited reproducibility of volumetric measurements, which increase costs and processing time.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using a disposable tip on a probe to load and inject samples, eliminating the need for a two-step flushing procedure and allowing for a smaller sample loop volume by ensuring a precise seal between the tip and injection port, thereby reducing carryover and improving volumetric accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a two-step flushing procedure is used to reduce carryover, then carryover contamination is reduced, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the source of contamination (the needle) from the system between samples. By using a disposable needle that is discarded after each sample, the system eliminates the need for complex flushing procedures while preventing carryover contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs disposable needles that are used once and then discarded. This approach replaces the need for time-consuming flushing procedures with a simple replaceable component, reducing both carryover contamination and processing time.
2Reliability
If excess sample volume is loaded to compensate for dead space, then foreign material injection is prevented, but sample consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the dead space problem by using a disposable tip system that creates a direct, sealed connection to the injection port. This eliminates the need to overfill samples to compensate for void space in traditional needle systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a disposable tip that replicates the function of a permanent injection system with minimal dead space. The tip is designed to seal precisely against the injection port, creating a copy of an ideal zero-dead-space connection for each sample.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for automated loading of liquid sample to a liquid chromatography testing device is provided including installing a disposable tip on a probe, moving the probe with an automated liquid handler to a loading position proximate to a sample, and drawing a sample into the disposable tip. The probe is then moved to an injection position proximate an injection port, and the sample is injected from the disposable tip into the injection port. Also provided are the novel injection ports. After injection of the sample, the disposable tip is then removed from the probe. These steps may be repeated a plurality of times to sequentially load a plurality of samples. An exemplary method of the invention is directed to use with a liquid chromatography apparatus. An apparatus for assisting in the removal of the disposable tip is also provided.