GB2572820A

GB2572820A - Liquid sample testers

Info

Publication number: GB2572820A
Application number: GB1806081.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kaur Sukhpreet
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2018-04-13
Filing date: 2018-04-13
Publication date: 2019-10-16
Also published as: GB201806081D0

Abstract

A liquid (e.g. urine) sample test apparatus 10 having a main body 12 with primary 68 and secondary 58 chambers. An opening provides fluid communication between the primary 68 and secondary 58 chambers so that liquid can be decanted from the former to the latter upon actuation of a closure 28, which, by virtue of an aperture 34 therein, selectively opens and closes the opening. The closure 28 enables the contents of the two chambers 68, 58 to be sealingly separated from one another. The secondary chamber 58 suitably contains a colorimetric test strip 20,22, which is visible from outside the apparatus 10, for testing a sample of the liquid therein. A tertiary chamber may contain boric acid powder. A funnel may be attached to aid filling of the main body. A tamper-evident frangible decal may be provided to indicate movement of the closure 28.

Description

LIQUID SAMPLE TESTERS

This invention relates to liquid sample testers and improvements in and relating thereto. In particular, this invention relates to urine sample testers, but is not limited to such uses.

It is commonplace in general medical practice and elsewhere, such as in veterinary practice, to require a human or animal patient to provide a urine sample for analysis. The purpose of a urine test is to check for the presence or otherwise of target substances, such as blood, antibodies, leukocytes, white blood cells, etc. in the urine sample, which may be indicative of some adverse pathology within the patient. Typically, urine samples are collected in a container and are sent off to an external laboratory for analysis. Various urine sample containers have been developed for this purpose, which can be of a standard shape/size to fit into the laboratory equipment, etc.

Laboratory testing of urine samples is a relatively time-consuming and costly process and, logistically, can be quite burdensome. In many cases, the patient turns out to have no adverse pathology, in which case, the laboratory urine sample test result can be returned as negative, in which case the entire procedure has been a waste of time and effort.

In order to reduce the chances of a laboratory test coming back as entirely negative, it is customary practice for the medical/veterinary practitioner to carry out a preliminary check on the urine sample before the sample itself is sent off to the laboratory for a complete analysis.

In most settings, this is done by way of a dip test which involves the practitioner placing a colorimetric test strip into the sample - to obtain a provisional indication of adverse pathology before the sample is sent away for more detailed and/or accurate analysis.

A typical urine dip test strip comprises an elongate plastic substrate, which has disposed upon one or more surfaces thereof, a set of colorimetric areas, which are sensitive to different target substances. When the dip test strip is placed into the urine sample, if any of the target substances are present, this usually results in the respective colorimetric area changing colour, thereby indicating the presence, or otherwise of that particular target substance. By this method, it is possible for the practitioner to assess whether or not further investigation is required, namely a laboratory test, or whether there is little or no adverse pathology to report, in which case further detailed analysis may or may not be required.

In order to carry out the dip test, the practitioner is required to open the urine sample collection pot and to manually insert a dip test strip into the urine sample to wet the colorimetric areas. That done, the test strip is withdrawn and after a short period of time - typically just a few seconds - the colours of the colorimetric test areas are compared against a colour chart to provide the required indications or otherwise of the presence, or otherwise, of the target substances.

Once the dip test strip has been wetted by the urine, however, there is a likelihood that drips of urine will fall off the test strip, which if not caught in a suitable manner, can be unhygienic. Furthermore, because the practitioner has to use their fingers to hold and manipulate the test strip, there is a possibility that the practitioner's fingers will come into contact with the urine sample, which is generally considered to be undesirable from a hygiene and cross-contamination point of view.

Moreover, once a urine sample has been collected from a patient, it can only be stored for a finite amount of time in the container before any bacteria/pathogens therein have either multiplied or died out and so there is a requirement to reduce the amount of time between collecting the sample and carrying out the test to avoid the sample changing significantly between the time it is collected and the time that it is tested.

In addition, there also exists the possibility of contaminating the urine sample if the container is left open (for example, if contaminants from the air can enter the urine sample pot), or if the practitioner themselves introduces contamination during carrying out the dip test strip procedure.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing, that the existing method of dip testing urine samples has a number of drawbacks, to which this invention aims to provide a solution.

Various aspects of the invention are set forth in the appended independent claims. Various preferred or optional features are set forth in the appended dependent claims.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a liquid sample test apparatus comprising: a main body having a hollow interior volume forming a primary chamber for containing, in use, a quantity of a liquid; a secondary chamber; an aperture in the main body providing fluid communication between the primary and secondary chambers; and a closure means for selectively opening and closing the aperture, the closure means being moveable between: a first position in which the aperture is sealingly closed by the closure means thus preventing the flow of liquid from the primary chamber into the secondary chamber; a second position in which the aperture is open, thus permitting, in use, liquid with primary chamber to flow into the secondary chamber; and back to the first position whereby the closure means isolates liquid within the secondary chamber from the liquid within the primary chamber.

The invention thus provides an apparatus which enables a portion of a sample collected within the primary chamber to be selectively decanted into the secondary chamber, where a test can be carried out. Because this is done by moving the closure means, there is no need for an operator to come into contact with the liquid within the apparatus. Then, the closure means can be moved back to the first position, thus sealing-off the decanted sample from the remainder of the sample (within the primary compartment), which prevents or inhibits contamination of the remaining, non-decanted, sample by the decanted sample.

Suitably, the primary chamber is generally cylindrical in shape, and the closure means comprises a generally tubular member axially receivable within the primary chamber. This configuration enables the closure means to be moved between its various positions by rotation of the closure means about its longitudinal axis.

In such a configuration, an outer surface of the closure means suitably sealingly seats against a side wall (i.e. the inner side wall) of the primary chamber. This can form a seal, thus preventing transference of liquid between the compartments. A seal is suitably provided, for example, in the in the form of a resilient lip surrounding the aperture or on the outer surface of the closure means. To permit decanting of the liquid between the chambers, the outer surface of the closure means is preferably discontinuous. The discontinuity can take the form of an aperture or a cut-away or missing part thereof. Thus, the closure means can rotatable relative to the main body such that when it is in the first position, the outer surface overlies the aperture, and when it is in the second position, the discontinuity overlies the aperture.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, a tertiary chamber is provided. In that case, a second aperture in the main body may be required, which provides fluid communication between the primary and tertiary chambers. In this case, the closure means is suitably moveable between the aforesaid first and second positions, but also to a third position in which the second aperture is open, thus permitting, in use, liquid with primary chamber to flow into the tertiary chamber.

This configuration advantageously permits the selective flow of liquid or material from the primary chamber into either or both of the secondary and tertiary chambers, or vice-versa.

In certain embodiments of the invention, the either or both of the secondary or tertiary chambers is formed as a recess in a side wall of the main body. Additionally or alternatively, either or both of the secondary or tertiary chambers can be formed as a compartment sealingly affixed to an exterior surface of the main body, such as one or more blisters affixed to an outer side wall of the main body.

The secondary chamber preferably comprises a viewing window, which permits the contents of the secondary chamber to be visually inspected from without the liquid sample test apparatus. This can be accomplished by making the secondary chamber at least partially transparent.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, a dip test strip is located within the secondary chamber. The dip test strip suitably comprises one or more colorimetric test areas, which change colour in the presence of a target substance, such as blood, white blood cells, sugar, leukocytes, alcohol, drugs, etc..

To facilitate reading the dip test strip, a colour chart may be affixed to an exterior surface of the main body, ideally adjacent the viewing window. The colour chart permits easy comparison of the colour of the colorimetric test area or areas against corresponding regions of the colour chart.

The tertiary chamber, where provided, may contains a quantity of a substance, which is released or decanted into the primary chamber when the closure means is moved to the third position. In the case or a urine sample test apparatus, the substance can be boric acid powder.

The liquid sample test apparatus also preferably has an opening through which liquid can be introduced into the primary chamber. A lid is suitably provided - for closing the opening. In the case of a urine sample test apparatus in particular, a funnel may be provided, which is suitably detachably affixable to the opening. The funnel, where provide, may facilitate introducing liquid into the primary chamber. The funnel may be anatomically shaped.

To reduce the likelihood of contamination or tampering (which may be particularly important where the apparatus is used in drug screening applications) a tamper-evident device may be provided. The tamper-evident device is suitably configured, in use, to signify when the closure means has been moved from the first position to any other position. In one example, the tamper-evident device comprises a frangible decal affixed to the closure means and the main body of the apparatus, which is adapted to tear or break upon movement of the closure means from the first position to any other position.

Preferred embodiments of the invention shall now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the embodiment of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a partial cross section of Figure 1 on Ill-Ill;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1, inverted;

Figure 5 is a partial cross section of Figure 1 on V-V;

Figures 6-9 are a sequence, in cross section, showing the operation of the embodiment of Figure 1;

Figure 10 is a partial cross-section of an alternative, simplified embodiment of the invention;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 12 is an exploded view of the embodiment of Figure 11; and

Figure 13 is a cross section of Figure 11 on XIII-XIII.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, a urine sample collection and testing apparatus 10 comprises a main, outer body 12, an end cap 14 and an actuator knob 16. The outer main body 12 has a viewing window 18, through which a dip test strip 20 can be seen. The dip test strip 20 has a series of colorimetric test areas 22 whose colours can be read off a colour chart 24 located immediately adjacent the viewing window 18, which enables a practitioner, in use, to compare the colours of the colorimetric test areas 22 with the corresponding regions of the colour chart 24 to determine whether or not one or more target substances are present in a urine sample.

The outer body 12 is hollow and, as shall be described below, is capable of retaining a quantity of liquid, such as urine.

The rotatable knob 16 is provided with an anti-tamper sticker 26, which is ripped when the knob 16 is rotated for the first time. The anti-tamper sticker 26 enables a practitioner to be able to tell whether or not the apparatus 10 has been used previously, or tampered with.

Referring now to Figure 2 of the drawings, it can be seen that the rotatable knob 16 is formed integrally with a tube portion 28, which extends down through an aperture 30 in an end wall 32 of the outer main body 12. The tubular portion 28 has a slotted aperture 34 in it, whose function shall become apparent from the following description. The opposite end of the outer main body 12 has a rebated rim 36, which receives an end cap 38, which sealingly closes-off the lower end (in Figure 2) of the outer main body 12. The rebated rim 36 and an interior side wall 40 of the end cap 38 are typically provided with complementary screw threads such that the end cap 38 can be sealingly and screwthreadingly secured onto the rebated lip 36 of the outer main body 12.

Figure 3 is partial cross section of Figure 1 on Ill-Ill, and this shows how a seal may be formed to prevent the escape of liquid from within the outer main body 12. As previously mentioned, the rotatable knob 16 and the dependent tube portion 28 are integrally formed and an outer surface of the dependent tube portion 28 is provided with a resilient flange 42, which seats against a complimentary barb-flange 44 of the outer main body 12. A seal is formed by ensuring that the two flanges 42, 44 are maintained in contact and this is achieved by way of a protrusion 46 provided on the outer underside of the knob 16, which urges the two 42, 44 into engagement. It will also be appreciated that the two lips 42, 44 form a barb-like connection, which serves to prevent axial displacement of the knob 16 relative to the outer main body 12 once it has been fully inserted. Once fully inserted, the knob-tube 16, 28 assembly can be rotated about its longitudinal axis, but is inhibited from being withdrawn by virtue of the interaction of the lips 42, 44, which lips, 42, 44 also form a seal to prevent or inhibit egress of liquid from within the outer main body 12.

Turning now to Figure 4 of the drawings, which shows the device 10 inverted, it can be seen that when the end cap 38 has been removed, an end opening 50 is exposed through which liquid can be introduced into the hollow interior of the outer main body 12. In certain embodiments, this can be facilitated by way of a push-fit 53, or screw-fit funnel 52, which can be of any shape/configuration - although a generally conical funnel is shown in the drawings. It will be appreciated that, in certain embodiments, the funnel 52 may be more elliptical or dumbbell shaped, when viewed from above to suit the anatomy human female patients, for example.

In summary, the urine sample test apparatus 10 can be filled by orienting it as shown in Figure 4, by removing the end cap 38 and by at least partially filling the hollow interior of the outer main body 12 with liquid (e.g. urine) via the opening 50. Once the liquid sample has been introduced into the outer main body 12, the end cap 38 cap is secured 39 in place and the sample is thus contained within the apparatus 10.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the end cap has a one-way connection, such as barbs on its screw thread, which prevent or inhibit unscrewing of the end cap 38 once it has been fully screwed in place. This may prevent and/or inhibit subsequent contamination or tampering with the urine sample.

Once device 10 has been at least partially filled, the liquid sample within it is effectively sealed, thus enabling the sample to be securely stored for a certain period of time. The apparatus 10 can then be passed to a practitioner, who can carry out an initial analysis of the liquid sample now contained within the outer main body 12.

This is achieved by the practitioner rotating the knob 16, which breaks the anti-tamper seal 26, and which exposes the dip test strip 20 to the urine sample so that the colorimetric area 22 of the dip test strip 20 can be compared with the corresponding regions of the colour chart 24 to obtain an initial assessment of the urine sample.

Figure 5 is a cross-section through the outer main body 12 on V-V of Figure 1 and from this Figure it can be seen that the outer surface 54 of the main outer body 12 is cylindrical, and that there is a part-cylindrical inner surface 56, which is non-concentric with the outer surface 54. The inner, part-cylindrical surface 56 receives the tubular projection 28 and it will be readily apparent that the tubular projection (not shown in Figure 5) can be rotated relative to the outer main body 12 about its longitudinal axis.

The interior of the outer main body 12 has a secondary 58 and a tertiary 60 compartment formed integrally therewith, which are respectively formed as recesses in the part-cylindrical inner surface 56 of the outer main body 12. A dividing wall 62 separates the secondary 58 and tertiary 60 chambers, whose functions shall become apparent from the following description.

It will be noted that the boundaries between the part-cylindrical surface 56 and the secondary 58 and tertiary 60 chambers are provided with resilient lips 64, which form a seal against the outer surface of the tubular projection 28 when it is inserted. Likewise, a similar resilient lip 66 is provided at the radially interior edge of the dividing wall 62 so as to form as a seal, in use, between the secondary 58 and tertiary 60 compartments.

Referring now to Figure 6 of the drawings, it can be seen how the tubular projection 28 interacts with the interior surface 56 of the outer main body 12. Initially, the slotted aperture 34 of the tubular projection 28 is located between the seals 64 and so a urine sample located within the hollow interior 68 is contained by the inner side wall 56 and the tubular projection 28. A dip test strip 20 is located within the secondary chamber 58, with its colorimetric areas 22 facing outwardly. The tertiary chamber 60 is at least partially filled by a neutralising substance, such as boric acid powder, whose function shall become apparent from the following description.

The configuration shown in Figure 6 is how the apparatus 10 is initially presented to the patient.

Referring to Figure 7 of the drawings, it can be seen that the hollow interior 68 of the outer main body 12 has been at least partially filled with a liquid sample 72 and the liquid sample 72 is contained, as previously described by the interior surface 56 of the outer main body 12 and the tubular projection 28. Seals 64 prevent the liquid sample 72 from entering the secondary 58 or tertiary 60 chambers and so the liquid sample 72 can be safely stored with the device 10 in this configuration for a certain period of time.

Turning now to Figure 8 of the drawings, when the practitioner is presented with the at least partially filled apparatus 10 the knob 16 can be rotated to a first position, which causes the slotted aperture 34 of the tubular projection 28 to align with the secondary chamber 58. This enables the liquid sample 72 to flood/fill the secondary chamber 58, thereby exposing the colorimetric areas 22 of the dip test strip 20 to the liquid sample 72.

It may be noted that the width of the slotted aperture 34 is slightly narrower than the width of the dip test strip 20, and this prevents/inhibits the dip test strip 20 from entering the main hollow interior volume 68 of the device 10. Meanwhile, the tertiary chamber 60 remains sealed from the liquid sample 72 by the operation of the seals 64 and 66.

The practitioner can inspect the dip test strip 20 via the viewing window 18 provided in the outer main body 12 (for which see Figure 1) and the liquid sample 72 can be analysed colorimetrically in the usual way.

It will be appreciated that if the dip test strip 20 remains in contact with the liquid sample for an extended period of time, that some of the colorimetric chemicals in the colorimetric areas 22 of the dip test strip 20 could leach out into the sample, thereby contaminating it. It is therefore necessary, once the dip test strip 20 has been exposed to the liquid sample 72, to seal the dip test strip off from the liquid sample as much as possible.

The invention achieves this in the manner shown in Figure 9 of the drawings, whereby the tubular projection 28 has been rotated to a further position in which the slotted aperture 34 is now aligned with the tertiary chamber 60. This rotation can be obtained by rotating the knob 16 from the outside of the device 10 in the previously-described manner.

When the tubular projection 28 has been rotated thus, it will be appreciated that the dip test strip 20 is effectively sealed within the secondary chamber 60 by virtue of seals 64 and 66 acting against the outer surface of the tubular projection. Whilst the small quantity of liquid sample 72' within the secondary chamber 60 may become contaminated by the colorimetric chemicals of the dip test strip over time, by the time this has occurred to any significant degree, the analysis by the practitioner would have been completed and, in all likelihood, the apparatus 10 already despatched for processing at the laboratory will be disposed of anyway.

However, because the remainder of the liquid sample 72 is not exposed to the dip test strip 20 anymore, any further contamination/leaching of the colorimetric chemicals into the major portion of the liquid sample 72 is thus inhibited.

Meanwhile, it will be seen, from Figure 9 of the drawings, that the boric acid powder 70, previously contained within the tertiary chamber 60, is now able to enter the hollow interior 68 of the device 10 and mix with the remainder of the liquid sample 72 to thereby freeze sample in a particular state. The practitioner may, if they desire, shake the apparatus 10 to ensure adequate mixing of the boric acid powder 70 with the liquid sample 72; and the device 10 and then be sent away for further analysis, should that be necessary.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing description that the invention enables a liquid sample to be sealingly stored within the container for a certain period of time, and it also enables the practitioner to carry out a dip test of the liquid sample without having to come into contact with the liquid (e.g. urine) at all.

Furthermore, once the dip test has been carried out, the dip test strip 20 can be sealed-off from the remainder of the liquid sample, thereby preventing contamination of the remainder of the sample by the chemicals in the dip test strip itself.

A freezing substance, such as boric acid powder can also be dispensed into the liquid sample 72, without the practitioner having to come into contact with the liquid sample 72 at all - simply by rotating the knob 16 one further time to a further position. Thus, the invention solves and/or addresses one or more of the problems associated with known sample collection and test devices.

Figure 10 of the drawings shows an alternative embodiment of the invention in which there is only a secondary compartment 58 and no tertiary compartment (60 as shown in the previous drawings). This, somewhat simpler, embodiment of the invention provides for a single function only, which could be carrying out a dip test strip analysis as shown in Figure 10, but it could equally be dispensing a substance into the liquid sample instead.

A further embodiment of the invention 100 is shown in Figures 11,12 and 13 of the drawings in which the secondary compartment 58 is formed as a transparent plastics blister 70 affixed to the exterior of a generally cylindrical container 72. The generally cylindrical container 72 has a slotted aperture 74 in a side wall thereof with which a recess part 76 of the blister 70 registers so as to form secondary compartment off the interior of the generally cylindrical container 72. A dip test strip 20, such as that previously described, is housed within the recess 76. The blister 70 is sealingly secured to the exterior of the generally cylindrical container 72 by a flange part 78, which is glued or welded to the exterior surface 71 of the generally cylindrical container 72.

An insert 80 is provided, which has a dependent finger portion 82, which projects into the interior of the generally cylindrical container 72. The outer surface 84 of the finger portion 82 is arcuate and matches the internal radius 83 of the generally cylindrical container 72 so as to form a seal therewith, in use.

It will be appreciated, and as can been from Figure 13 of the drawings, that the insert 80 can be rotated about its longitudinal axis, which is also the longitudinal axis of the generally cylindrical container 72, such that the finger portion 82 either registers with the slotted aperture 74, thereby sealingly separating the interior of the recess 76 of the blister 70 from the interior of the generally cylindrical container 72, or not (shown as a dashed line in Figure 13), thus permitting the contents of the generally cylindrical container 72 to flow into the recess 76 of the blister 70, as the case may be. A push-fit, or screw-fit lid 86 is provided, for closing the top of the apparatus 100.

The apparatus 100 is presented to the patient with the lid 86 affixed, and with the finger portion 82 overlying the slotted aperture 74. The dip test strip 20 is thus isolated from the interior of the generally cylindrical container 72, which can be filled with a liquid (e.g. urine) sample by removing the lid 86, filling and replacing the lid. The container 100 can then be presented to the practitioner, who simply needs to rotate the insert 80 (with the lid 86 still in situ). The upper rim of the insert 80 can be rotated (thus breaking a temper-evident seal sticker 20) to bring the finger portion 82 out of alignment with the slotted aperture 74, thus allowing the secondary chamber 58, formed by the blister 70, to be at least partially filled with liquid from the interior of the generally cylindrical container 72. The dip test strip 20 can be observed through the transparent side wall of the blister 70, and a preliminary colorimetric analysis carried out. That done, the upper rim of the insert 80 can be rotated back to bring the finger portion 82 back into alignment with the slotted aperture 74, thus sealing the contents of the secondary chamber 58 from the main interior volume of the generally cylindrical container 72.

This embodiment also allows the dip test procedure to be carried out without the practitioner having to come into contact with the liquid sample, whilst also minimising the risk of contamination and spillage.

In other possible embodiments (not shown), several blisters 70 may be provided, thus providing the secondary and tertiary chambers previously described.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiments, which are merely exemplary of certain embodiments of the invention. For example, any shapes, sizes or materials (whether express or implied) are exemplary only, and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A liquid sample test apparatus comprising:

a main body having a hollow interior volume forming a primary chamber for containing, in use, a quantity of a liquid;

a secondary chamber;

an aperture in the main body providing fluid communication between the primary and secondary chambers; and a closure means for selectively opening and closing the aperture, the closure means being moveable between:

a first position in which the aperture is sealingly closed by the closure means thus preventing the flow of liquid from the primary chamber into the secondary chamber;

a second position in which the aperture is open, thus permitting, in use, liquid with primary chamber to flow into the secondary chamber; and back to the first position whereby the closure means isolates liquid within the secondary chamber from the liquid within the primary chamber.

2. The liquid sample test apparatus of claim 1, wherein the primary chamber is generally cylindrical in shape, and wherein the closure means comprises a generally tubular member axially receivable within the primary chamber such that an outer surface of the closure means sealingly seats against a side wall of the primary chamber, and wherein the outer surface of the closure means is discontinuous, wherein the closure means is rotatable relative to the main body such that when it is in the first position, the outer surface overlies the aperture, and when it is in the second position, the discontinuity overlies the aperture.

3. The liquid sample test apparatus of claim 2, wherein the discontinuity comprises an aperture in the side wall.

4. The liquid sample test apparatus of claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the discontinuity comprises missing part or cut-away in the side wall.

5. The liquid sample test apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising:

a tertiary chamber; and a second aperture in the main body providing fluid communication between the primary and tertiary chambers, and wherein the closure means is moveable between:

a second position in which the aperture is open, thus permitting, in use, liquid with primary chamber to flow into the secondary chamber;

a third position in which the second aperture is open, thus permitting, in use, liquid with primary chamber to flow into the tertiary chamber; and back to the first position whereby the closure means isolates liquid within the secondary chamber from the liquid within the primary chamber.

6. The liquid sample test apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein either or both of the secondary or tertiary chambers is formed as a recess in a side wall of the main body.

7. The liquid sample test apparatus of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein either or both of the secondary or tertiary chambers is formed as a compartment sealingly affixed to an exterior surface of the main body.

8. The liquid sample test apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the secondary chamber comprises a viewing window which permits the contents of the secondary chamber to be visually inspected from without the liquid sample test apparatus.

9. The liquid sample test apparatus of claim 8, wherein the secondary chamber is at least partially transparent.

10. The liquid sample test apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising a dip test strip located within the secondary chamber.

11. The liquid sample test apparatus of claim 10, wherein the dip test strip comprises one or more colorimetric test areas, which change colour in the presence of a target substance.

12. The liquid sample test apparatus of any of claim 11 when dependent on claim 8 or claim 9, further comprising colour chart on an exterior surface of the main body adjacent the viewing window to permit the colour of the colorimetric test area or areas to be visually compared with corresponding regions of the colour chart.

13. The liquid sample test apparatus of any of claims 5 to 12, wherein the tertiary chamber contains a quantity of a substance, which is released into the primary chamber when the closure means is moved to the third position.

14. The liquid sample test apparatus of claim 13, wherein the substance comprises boric acid powder.

15. The liquid sample test apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising an opening through which liquid can be introduced into the primary chamber.

16. The liquid sample test apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a lid for closing the opening.

17. The liquid sample test apparatus of claim 15 or claim 16, further comprising a funnel detachably affixable to the opening to facilitate introducing the liquid into the primary chamber.

18. The liquid sample test apparatus of any preceding claim, further comprising a tamper-evident device adapted, in use, to signify when the closure means has been moved from the first position to any other position.

19. The liquid sample test apparatus of claim 18, wherein the tamper-evident device comprises a frangible decal affixed to the closure means and the main body of the apparatus, which is adapted to tear or break upon movement of the closure means from the first position to any other position.