Filtration Medium Treatment Device with Dissolving Chamber
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for treating porous filtration media are inefficient in transferring retained microorganisms to a receiving vessel without risk of contamination, leading to incomplete recovery and analysis challenges, particularly for DNA extraction and molecular biology applications.
Innovation Solution
A device with a base part featuring a conical incubation chamber connected to a detachable receiving vessel containing a solvent and grinding balls or lysis buffer, allowing for safe and complete transfer of the filtration medium, including microorganisms, to facilitate quantitative analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If back-flushing is used to transfer particles from filter to receiving vessel, then particle transfer is achieved, but transfer is incomplete because particles are trapped in deeper membrane layers and through non-specific adsorption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the receiving vessel by adding a denaturing agent (such as guanidine hydrochloride or SDS) to the receiving buffer. This chemical parameter change disrupts non-specific adsorption between particles and the membrane, enabling complete particle recovery from all membrane layers including deep pores where back-flushing alone fails.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a denaturing agent as an intermediary substance in the receiving vessel that mediates the release of adsorbed particles from the membrane. This intermediary chemically interferes with the non-specific binding forces, allowing particles to be completely transferred from the membrane surface and deep layers to the receiving buffer.
2Quantity of substance
If filtration membrane diameter is large (47mm or 25mm) for filtering large sample volumes, then concentration capability is improved, but the membrane cannot be directly conveyed to analysis vessels due to size constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the filtration system into a removable receiving unit that can be detached from the main filtration device. The receiving vessel containing the concentrated sample is separated from the large membrane, allowing the membrane to remain in the filtration device while the small receiving vessel (containing only the concentrated extract) can be conveniently transferred to analysis instruments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the concentrated sample from the large membrane surface by dissolving or eluting retained substances into a small receiving vessel. This extraction process separates the analyte of interest from the large membrane matrix, delivering a concentrated sample in a small volume suitable for subsequent analysis in standard reaction vessels.
3Ease of operation
If receiving part and base part are reversibly connected for easy removal, then ease of operation is improved, but risk of contamination increases during transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-filling the receiving vessel with buffer containing denaturing agents before the filtration process. This ensures that when particles are transferred to the receiving vessel, they immediately encounter the protective chemical environment that prevents non-specific adsorption and potential contamination, rather than requiring post-transfer treatment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the complete and safe transfer of microorganisms from the filtration medium to a receiving vessel, enhancing the accessibility of DNA for extraction and analysis, thereby improving the sensitivity and efficiency of molecular biological methods like PCR.
Implementation Method 1
a receiving vessel (4) containing a solvent (28) for dissolving the porous filtration medium (37)
Implementation Method 2
containing a solvent (28) for dissolving the porous filtration medium (37) and grinding balls (29)
Implementation Method 3
or a lysis buffer that facilitates cell disruption
Data Source
AI summary
A device (1) and a method are provided for treating a porous filtration medium (37) having a receiving unit (2) with of a receiving part (5) and a base part (6). The porous filtration medium (37) can be lifted by the receiving part (5) from a lower part (33) of a filtration device (32), and the receiving part (5) with the porous filtration medium (37) can be mounted on the base part (6). The receiving part (5) is latchable to the base part (6). The base part (6), towards the filtration medium (37) has an incubation chamber (17) connected to a base part (6) outlet (3) that faces away from the receiving part (5), and the outlet (3) has a projection onto which a receiving vessel (4) containing a solvent (28) for dissolving the porous filtration medium (37) can be detachably pushed on.