Method and apparatus for sample analysis on a continuous flow basis

Abstract

Abstract NEW AND IMPROVED METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE FULLY AUTOMATIC, HIGHLY ACCURATE QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF A SERIES OF SAMPLES WITH REGARD TO A CONSTITUENT THEREOF ON A CONTINUOUS FLOW BASIS THROUGH RATE REACTION DETERMINATION ARE PROVIDED AND ARE OPERABLE THROUGH THE CONTINUOUS MIXING OF SAID SAMPLES AND A SUITABLE REACTANT IN CONSTANT PROPORTION, AND THE FLOW OF THE RESULTANT SAMPLE-REACTANT MIXTURES BY PUMPING ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS THROUGH REACTION PROMOTING MEANS TO PROMOTE THE SAMPLE CONSTITUENT-REACTANT RATE REACTION IN SUCH MANNER THAT DIFFERENT PORTIONS OF EACH OF THE SAMPLE-REACTANT MIXTURES ARE REACTED FOR DIFFERENT TIMES TO EFFECT A DIFFERENTIAL IN A CHARACTERISTIC OF SAID MIXTURES AS DEVELOPED AS A RESULT OF SAID REACTION. FOLLOWING THIS, THE THUSLY REACTED SAMPLE-REACTANT MIXTURE PORTIONS ARE FLOWED THROUGH DETECTOR MEANS FOR DETECTION OF SAID CHARACTERISTIC DIFFERENTIAL AND RESULTANT PROVISION OF AND OUTPUT SIGNAL WHICH IS INDICATIVE OF THE SAMPLE CONSTITUENT QUANTITY OF INTEREST. SUBSTANTIALLY HYPERBOLIC VARIATION IN THE FLOW RATE OF EACH OF SAID SAMPLE-REACTANT MIXTURES THROUGH SAID REACTION PROMOTING MEANS IS UTILIZED TO PROVIDE FOR THE DIFFERENT SAMPLE-REACTANT MIXTURE PORTION REACTION TIMES. AS SPECIFICALLY DISCLOSED HEREIN, THE METHOD AND APPARATUS OF THE INVENTION ARE PARTICULARLY ADAPTABLE TO THE ANALYSIS OF A SERIES OF BLOOD SAMPLES WITH REGARD TO AN ENZYME CONSTITUENT THEREOF.

Inventors

• 👤 Leonard T Skeggs

Bibliographic Details