Microgravity-compatible analysis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9759664-B2
Application number	US-201514724361-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 28, 2015
Priority date	May 28, 2015
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

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

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of analyzing for the presence or concentration of an analyte in a liquid in microgravity, comprising
transferring a first quantity of the liquid from a first container through a porous pad comprising a reagent that is responsive to the analyte, said porous pad disposed in a test cassette comprising a housing that includes an inlet port, an outlet port, and the porous pad within the housing between the inlet port and the outlet port, on a connected flow path from the first container, to the test cassette, to a pump, and to the first container or a second container;
determining the presence or concentration of the analyte in the liquid based on a response of the reagent; and
disposing of the first or second container.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pump comprises a syringe comprising a syringe body, a plunger, and an inlet port, and the first quantity of the liquid is removed from the first container 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 actuating the plunger with 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 first quantity of liquid is transferred from the pump 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 a total quantity of liquid passed through the porous pad.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first quantity of liquid and the additional quantity or quantities of removed liquid are transferred from the pump 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 first container 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 the 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 the group consisting of silica, nickel, iron, ammonia, orthophthalaldehyde, and iodine.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the analyte is silica.

13. A system for analyzing for the presence or concentration of an analyte in a liquid from a liquid source, comprising
system components disposed in a microgravity environment, said system components comprising:
a sealed sample collection container that includes a first port 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 along a connected flow path from the sample collection container through the cassette inlet, the porous pad, the cassette outlet, the pump, 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 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 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 the 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 the group consisting of silica, nickel, iron, ammonia, orthophthalaldehyde, dimethylsilanediol (DMSD), and 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 a total quantity of liquid passed through the porous pad.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Space Sys

Inventors

• Steele John W

Classifications

• G01N2021/7763

  Sample through flow · CPC title

• G01N31/22

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

• G01N2021/757

  using immobilised reagents · CPC title

• G01N33/18

  Water · CPC title

• G01N21/78 Primary

  producing a change of colour · CPC title