Microbial Particle Counting with UV Decomposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current microbial particle counting systems face challenges in accurately counting bacteria in real-time due to background noise from organic substances like humic acid or fulvic acid, which emit fluorescence and interfere with the autofluorescence of microbial particles, leading to potential counting errors.
Innovation Solution
A microbial particle counting system that includes a microbial particle counting instrument detecting autofluorescence and a former-stage irradiator using ultraviolet light with an ozone generation beam, specifically with wavelengths shorter than 200 nm, to decompose organic substances and reduce background noise, allowing for accurate real-time counting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If UV irradiation is used to enhance autofluorescence intensity, then microbial particle detection sensitivity is improved, but organic substances in the sample also emit fluorescence causing background noise that interferes with accurate counting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the UV irradiation process into two distinct stages: first, UV-C irradiation (200-280nm) to enhance autofluorescence of microbial particles, and second, UV-A or visible light irradiation (320-780nm) to decompose organic substances emitting background noise. This temporal segmentation allows both beneficial effects to occur without mutual interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary UV-C irradiation to the sample before counting to pre-enhance the autofluorescence intensity of microbial particles. This preliminary action ensures that when the sample is subsequently analyzed, the microbial particles already have enhanced fluorescence signals, improving detection sensitivity without requiring higher excitation intensity during counting that would exacerbate background noise.
2Measurement precision
If cultivation methods are used to measure bacterial mixing degree, then accurate measurement is achieved, but the measurement process takes one to two weeks which is too long for real-time monitoring
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the biological cultivation system with a physical-optical detection system. Instead of relying on bacterial growth and colony formation over days (biological process), the system uses UV irradiation to enhance autofluorescence and optical detection to count microbial particles directly (physical-optical process), reducing measurement time from weeks to minutes while maintaining accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the detection parameter from indirect colony counting after cultivation to direct autofluorescence intensity measurement. By utilizing the inherent autofluorescence property of microbial particles and enhancing it through UV-C irradiation, the system enables real-time detection without the time-consuming cultivation step, transforming a slow biological assay into a rapid optical measurement.
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
The system effectively decomposes organic substances, reducing background noise and enabling accurate real-time counting of microbial particles, even in samples containing humic acid or fulvic acid, without the need for lengthy cultivation processes.
Implementation Method 1
The ultraviolet light contains an ozone generation beam, and the former-stage irradiator irradiates the sample with the ultraviolet light, thereby decomposing mixed organic substance contained in the sample
Implementation Method 2
UV low pressure lamps, whose wavelengths are 254 nm and 185 nm are disclosed
Implementation Method 3
a microbial particle counting instrument configured to detect autofluorescence of microbial particles in a sample as fluid, thereby counting the microbial particles in the sample
Data Source
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AI summary
A microviable particle counting system includes: a microviable particle counting instrument configured to detect autofluorescence of a microviable particle in a sample as fluid, thereby counting the microviable particle in the sample; and a former-stage irradiator provided at a former stage of the microviable particle counting instrument to irradiate the sample with ultraviolet light. The ultraviolet light contains first ultraviolet light having such a wavelength that a carbon-carbon covalent bond is disconnected, and the first ultraviolet light has a wavelength shorter than 200 nm.