Microorganism Concentration Using Metal Silicate Particles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for detecting pathogenic microorganisms are often slow, costly, and require complex equipment or procedures, making them ineffective for rapid detection, especially in varying sample conditions and volumes.
Innovation Solution
A process using a porous fibrous nonwoven matrix with enmeshed amorphous metal silicate particles, allowing for non-specific concentration and capture of microorganisms, enabling rapid and cost-effective detection without the need for complex equipment or procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional detection methods are used, then detection accuracy can be maintained, but detection speed is slow and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-coating support particles with concentration agents (such as amino acids, vitamins, or other microorganism nutrients) before sample application. This pre-prepared support is ready to immediately capture and concentrate microorganisms from the sample, eliminating the need for time-consuming culturing steps and enabling rapid detection within minutes
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential function of microorganism concentration from traditional lengthy culturing processes by using chemically active support particles that can directly bind and concentrate target microorganisms from samples. This extraction of the concentration function allows detection to proceed rapidly without requiring extended incubation periods
2Measurement precision
If strain-specific antibody methods are used, then detection precision is improved, but cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the support particles by incorporating specific concentration agents (amino acids, vitamins, iron-chelating compounds, siderophores, or combinations thereof) that create chemically active surfaces. These parameter changes enable the support to selectively concentrate specific microorganism strains through chemical interactions, achieving strain-specific detection without requiring antibody coatings or complex immunological procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating support particles with specific localized chemical properties through the incorporation of particular concentration agents. Different support particles can be formulated with different chemical compositions tailored to detect specific microorganism strains, allowing precise detection while maintaining simple procedural implementation
3Ease of operation
If non-specific concentration methods are used, then ease of operation is improved, but capture efficiency is insufficient for low microorganism content samples
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials by combining support particles with specific concentration agents (such as amino acids, vitamins, iron-chelating compounds, or siderophores) embedded within a matrix structure. This composite approach creates chemically active supports that maintain simple ease of operation while achieving high capture efficiency even for samples with low microorganism content, resolving the contradiction between operational simplicity and detection reliability
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 process effectively captures and detects microorganisms in a variety of samples, including those with low microorganism content and large volumes, achieving high capture efficiency within minutes, suitable for field conditions and reducing the need for culturing steps.
Implementation Method 1
a particle loaded, porous, fibrous, at least one of compressed or fused, article comprising a) a nonwoven fibrous polymeric web, and b) sorptive particles enmeshed in said web
Data Source
AI summary
A process for capturing or concentrating microorganisms for detection or assay comprises (a) providing a concentration device comprising (1) a porous fibrous nonwoven matrix and (2) a plurality of particles of at least one concentration agent that comprises a metal silicate, the particles being enmeshed in the porous fibrous nonwoven matrix; (b) providing a sample comprising at least one target cellular analyte; (c) contacting the concentration device with the sample such that at least a portion of the at least one target cellular analyte is bound to or captured by the concentration device; and (d) detecting the presence of at least one bound target cellular analyte.