Water-Soluble Polymer Capture of Microorganisms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for capturing bacteria and fungi from suspensions, such as antibody-based systems, are not suitable for harsh conditions and are not generic enough to capture a wide range of microorganisms, including gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and fungi, especially in samples with high pH or high salt concentrations.
Innovation Solution
A method using water-soluble polymers like polyethylene glycol (PEG) to deposit bacteria and fungi onto a solid surface, such as paramagnetic beads with carboxy surfaces or polymer beads with negatively charged groups, allowing for the capture of a broad range of microorganisms, including Mycobacteria and fungi, and their fragments, regardless of the surface properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If antibody-based systems are used to capture microorganisms, then specific microorganisms can be captured with high specificity, but the method cannot be used in harsh conditions (high pH, high salt) and is not generic enough to capture diverse microorganisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces water-soluble polymers (PEG, dextran) as intermediary substances that mediate the capture of diverse microorganisms onto solid surfaces. These polymers act as a universal mediator that works across different microorganism types and harsh conditions, replacing the need for specific antibodies while maintaining effective capture functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a universal capture system using water-soluble polymers that can capture multiple types of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, mycobacteria) and their fragments under various conditions including harsh environments. This single system replaces multiple antibody-based systems, achieving multi-functionality and broad applicability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If generic non-antibody methods are used to capture microorganisms, then a broader range of microorganisms can be captured, but the capture efficiency varies significantly between different bacterial species and some species are not captured at all
Solution Approach 1:
Water-soluble polymers serve as intermediary substances that enhance the interaction between diverse microorganisms and solid surfaces. The polymers mediate the capture process, ensuring consistent and reliable capture efficiency across different microorganism types by providing a universal binding mechanism that overcomes species-specific variability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes changes in physical-chemical parameters, specifically the addition of water-soluble polymers that alter the solution environment. This parameter change (polymer concentration, molecular weight) creates optimal conditions for universal microorganism capture, improving reliability across different species without requiring species-specific optimization.
3Quantity of substance
If traditional concentration methods are used, then microorganisms can be concentrated from large volumes, but the methods are not effective for non-sedimentable fragments and require complex equipment or procedures
Solution Approach 1:
Water-soluble polymers act as intermediary substances that enable the concentration of microorganisms and their fragments onto simple solid surfaces without requiring complex equipment. The polymers facilitate attachment to paramagnetic beads or other solid supports, allowing concentration through simple magnetic separation or filtration rather than complex centrifugation or filtration systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces complex mechanical concentration systems (centrifuges, complex filtration systems) with a simpler polymer-mediated attachment system. By using water-soluble polymers to facilitate binding to solid surfaces, the method substitutes complex mechanical separation with a chemically-mediated process that is easier to implement and requires simpler equipment.
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
This method effectively concentrates bacteria and fungi onto a solid surface, enabling efficient capture and elution, even of non-sedimentable fragments, and is applicable in various conditions, including high pH, improving diagnostic sensitivity and contamination removal.
Implementation Method 1
it is possible to use a water soluble polymer to cause suspended bacteria and fungi to be deposited onto a solid surface
Implementation Method 2
paramagnetic beads with a carboxy surface
Implementation Method 3
a polymer having negatively charged surface groups
Implementation Method 4
paramagnetic beads
Data Source
AI summary
Micro-organisms, including fungi, viruses and bacteria such as Mycobacteria and/or fragments of micro-organisms such as cell wall components present in an aqueous liquid are captured to a solid surface by adding to said liquid a sufficient quantity of a water soluble polymer in the presence of said solid surface to displace said micro- organisms and/or fragments from the liquid to the solid surface. The surface may be provided by a bead. The water soluble polymer may be polyethyleneglycol or polyvinylpyrrolidone.