Microgravity-compatible analysis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016349184-A1
Application number	US-201514724361-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 28, 2015
Priority date	May 28, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of analyzing for the presence or concentration of an analyte in a liquid in microgravity is disclosed. The method includes removing a first quantity of the liquid from a first container and passing the removed liquid through a porous pad that includes a reagent that is responsive to the analyte. The presence or concentration of the analyte in the liquid is determined based on a response of the reagent. The removed quantity of liquid is transferred back to the first container or to a second container, and followed by disposal of the first or second container.

First claim

1 . A method of analyzing for the presence or concentration of an analyte in a liquid in microgravity, comprising
removing a first quantity of the liquid from a first container and passing the removed liquid through a porous pad comprising a reagent that is responsive to the analyte; determining the presence or concentration of the analyte in the liquid based on a response of the reagent; and transferring the removed quantity of liquid to the first container or a second container, and disposing of the first or second container.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first quantity of the liquid is removed from the first container with a syringe comprising a syringe body, a plunger, and an inlet port, by actuating the plunger with a first stroke to draw liquid into the syringe through the inlet port.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the syringe further comprises an outlet port, and the removed liquid is transferred to the first or second container by a second stroke to expel liquid from the outlet port.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the inlet port and outlet port each include a one-way valve.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the removed quantity of liquid is transferred to the first container.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, if the reagent does not produce a measurable response after passing the first quantity of liquid through the porous pad, passing additional quantity or quantities of the liquid through the porous pad until the reagent produces a measurable response.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising determining a concentration of the analyte in the liquid based on the response produced by the reagent and the total quantity of liquid passed through the porous pad.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the removed quantities of liquid are transferred to a second container.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising transferring liquid from a stationary liquid source to the first container, and transporting the sample to a location remote from the stationary liquid source before removing the first quantity of liquid from the first container.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein liquid is water, and the reagent and analyte react to produce a colorimetric response.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the analyte is selected from silica, nickel, iron, ammonia, orthophthalaldehyde, and iodine.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the analyte is silica and the reagent is according to the molybdosilicate method of the Standard Method 4500-SiO2 Silica (Editorial Revisions 2011) of the Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater.

13 . A system for analyzing for the presence or concentration of an analyte in a liquid from a liquid source in microgravity, comprising
a sealed sample collection container that includes a first port adapted for connection to the liquid source; a test cassette comprising a sealed housing that includes an inlet port and an outlet port, and a porous pad within the sealed housing comprising a reagent that is responsive to the analyte, the cassette configured to provide a flow of liquid from the inlet port through the porous pad to the outlet port; and a pump configured to transfer liquid from the sample collection container to the cassette inlet through the porous pad to the cassette inlet, and to the sample collection container or a second container.

14 . The system according to claim 13 , wherein the sealed sample collection container further includes a second port adapted for connection to the test cassette or the pump.

15 . The system according to claim 13 , wherein the pump is a syringe comprising a syringe body, a plunger, an inlet, and an outlet, the syringe configured to draw liquid into the syringe body through the syringe inlet port by actuating the plunger with a first stroke, and to expel liquid from the syringe body through the syringe outlet by actuating the plunger with a second stroke.

16 . The system of claim 13 , further comprising a color reference chart for correlating a colorimetric response from the reagent exposed to the analyte to a concentration of the analyte in the liquid.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein each color on the reference chart correlates to more than one concentration value, based on different quantities of liquid passed through the porous pad.

18 . The system of claim 13 , wherein liquid comprises water, and the reagent and analyte react to produce a colorimetric response.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the analyte is selected from silica, nickel, iron, ammonia, orthophthalaldehyde, dimethylsilanediol (DMSD), or iodine.

20 . A method of analyzing for the presence or concentration of an analyte in a liquid, comprising
passing a first quantity of the liquid through a porous pad comprising a reagent that is responsive to the analyte; determining the presence or concentration of the analyte in the liquid based on a response of the reagent to the first quantity of liquid; if the first quantity of the liquid does not produce a measurable response by the reagent, passing additional quantity or quantities of the liquid through the porous pad until the reagent produces a measurable response; and determining a concentration of the analyte in the liquid based on the response produced by the reagent and the total quantity of liquid passed through the porous pad.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Space Sys

Inventors

• Steele John W

Classifications

• G01N21/78 Primary

  producing a change of colour · CPC title

• G01N33/18

  Water · CPC title

• G01N31/22

  using chemical indicators (G01N31/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N2021/757

  using immobilised reagents · CPC title

• G01N2021/7763

  Sample through flow · CPC title