Solid Deactivating Receptacle for Saliva Sample Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge lies in developing a reliable and safe system for collecting and storing body samples, particularly saliva, for COVID-19 testing at home, which requires effective stabilization and transportation to prevent damage to viral RNA and DNA, while ensuring user safety and ease of use.
Innovation Solution
A receptacle containing a solid coronavirus deactivating composition, made from materials like polypropylene or polyethylene, with a chaotrope such as guanidinium thiocyanate, that adheres to the inner surface and prevents nucleic acid degradation, allowing for self-collection and stable storage of samples for transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If saliva samples are collected for home testing, then ease of sample collection is improved, but reliability of sample stabilization during transport deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The receptacle is pre-filled with a solid coronavirus deactivating composition before the sample is collected. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the saliva sample is added, the stabilizing and deactivating actions begin immediately without requiring any additional steps from the user, thus maintaining both ease of operation and reliability of stabilization
Solution Approach 2:
The solid coronavirus deactivating composition acts as an intermediary substance between the viral RNA in the saliva sample and the external environment during transport. It mediates the stabilization process by providing a controlled chemical environment that preserves nucleic acid integrity while deactivating the virus, resolving the contradiction between simple home collection and reliable sample stabilization
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a solid coronavirus deactivating composition is used, then safety during transport is improved, but complexity of the receptacle increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deactivating composition is formulated to change from a liquid or solution state to a solid state that can be directly incorporated into the receptacle. This parameter change allows the composition to be easily integrated without complex containment mechanisms, achieving both safety during transport and simplicity of design
Solution Approach 2:
The solid coronavirus deactivating composition is merged directly into the receptacle structure itself, rather than being a separate component. This combining of the deactivating agent with the container reduces the number of parts and simplifies the overall device while maintaining safety during transport
3Ease of operation
If samples are stored at elevated temperatures, then ease of storage is improved, but integrity of viral RNA deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The deactivating composition is specifically formulated to counteract the harmful effects of elevated temperatures on viral RNA integrity. By incorporating temperature-compensating stabilizing agents, the system converts the potential harm of heat exposure into a controlled environment that maintains RNA stability even during ambient temperature transport, achieving both ease of storage and RNA integrity
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 ensures the stability and integrity of RNA and DNA samples during storage and transport, enabling accurate detection of COVID-19, even at elevated temperatures and through multiple freeze-thaw cycles, and allows for reliable detection of low viral loads.
Implementation Method 1
A receptacle containing a solid coronavirus deactivating composition, made from materials like polypropylene or polyethylene, with a chaotrope such as guanidinium thiocyanate, that adheres to the inner surface and prevents nucleic acid degradation
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention refers to a receptable for body fluids wherein inside the receptable an coronavirus deactivating composition is present in solid form, use of said receptable for the collection of saliva, a kit for collecting saliva samples comprising said receptable, the use of said kit for collecting saliva, especially saliva comprising viral RNA and a method for the detection of RNA or DNA. The solid coronavirus deactivating composition can contain guanidinium salt, tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane and EDTA.