Low Bed-Volume Spin Column System for High-Throughput Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spin column devices are limited by large bed volumes, susceptibility to air entrainment, and drying issues, which affect flow rate variability and binding capacity, making them unsuitable for high-throughput and precise analysis in microplate formats.
Innovation Solution
A low bed-volume spin column system comprising a rack, receiver plate, and spin columns with a packed bed volume capacity at least 5-fold lower than the microplate well, designed to prevent air entrainment and drying, allowing for efficient quantitative binding and elution in a high-throughput manner.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional spin column devices are used with large bed volumes, then they can handle larger sample volumes, but they suffer from air entrainment and drying issues that increase flow rate variability and reduce binding capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the bed volume parameter from conventional large volumes to low bed volumes (at least 5-fold lower than microplate well volume). This parameter change fundamentally alters the system's susceptibility to air entrainment and drying, improving flow rate consistency while maintaining sample handling capability through optimized low-volume design
2Ease of operation
If conventional spin column devices are used, then they can perform basic separation functions, but they are unsuitable for high-throughput analysis in microplate formats due to large size and air entrainment susceptibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the spin column system into modular components that can be integrated with microplate formats. The low bed-volume columns are designed to work within microplate wells, enabling parallel processing of multiple samples simultaneously. This segmentation allows the system to maintain basic separation functions while achieving high-throughput capability through microplate-based parallelization
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from conventional vertical spin column geometry to a microplate-integrated format that utilizes the horizontal well structure of microplates. This dimensional change enables the spin columns to be arranged in parallel across multiple wells, facilitating high-throughput analysis while maintaining the essential separation function through optimized low-volume column design
3Reliability
If low bed-volume spin columns are used, then air entrainment and drying are minimized improving flow rate consistency, but the packed bed volume is reduced which may limit binding capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the packed bed volume parameter to be at least 5-fold lower than the microplate well volume, creating a low bed-volume system that minimizes air entrainment and drying. This parameter change improves flow rate consistency while the binding capacity is maintained through optimized resin density and surface area within the reduced volume
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 high-throughput, precise analysis with reduced variability and increased efficiency by using a modular system that minimizes air entrainment and drying, allowing for the analysis of analytes in conventional microplates with improved reproducibility and sensitivity.
Implementation Method 1
The rack, spin column, and receiver plate are dimensioned and configured to suspend an outlet tip of the spin column within 5 mm of a bottom surface of the well
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides a low bed-volume spin column system and methods of use. The system includes various combinations of spin columns with packed beds (17), a rack (50) for holding the spin columns (10), a receiver plate (30) that attaches to the rack (50) and that has wells (40) in registration with the spin columns (10) held in the rack (50), a lid (70) that attaches to the receiver plate (30) and seals the spin columns (10), and an incubator block (80) configured for accepting the wells (40) of the receiver plate (30) and for incubating the packed bed (17). The lid (70), spin columns (10), rack (50), receiver plate (30), and incubator block (80) are preferably capable of being assembled in a nested configuration. In preferred versions of the invention, the rack (50) is compatible with and attachable to conventional 96-well microplates (20). Further provided are methods of using the spin column system that include quantitatively purifying and analyzing an analyte, removing and preventing air entrainment within the packed bed (17), and incubating the packed bed while preventing drying thereof.