JP2005070006A - Cartridge for chemical reaction - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cartridge for chemical reactions which prevents a hazardous solution from leaking out of a waste solution tank to the outside and easily performs internal fluid control, by providing a sealed structure preventing a waste solution containing pathogen or the like and hazardous substances, such as endocrine disrupting chemicals from leaking out to the outside, and by providing an opening in a waste solution tank in the final stage to facilitate internal fluid control. <P>SOLUTION: The cartridge for chemical reactions performs reaction treatment of an analyte in a sealed container. The waste solution tank is provided in the container. An absorption agent which absorbs the waste solution is put in the waste solution tank. The waste solution tank is provided with the opening leading to the outside. The opening is blocked by a filter which transmits only gases. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a cartridge for various chemical reactions such as a biodiagnostic diagnostic cartridge or an environmental measurement biosensor cartridge used in a genetic diagnosis system, and in particular, a sealed structure in which dangerous substances such as viruses and environmental hormones are enclosed. The present invention relates to a structure for facilitating transfer control of a fluid in a cartridge in a type cartridge.

In recent years, a variety of biodiagnostic cartridges, environmental measurement biosensor cartridges, and analysis cartridges used in genetic diagnosis systems have appeared.
In particular, medical diagnostic cartridges such as biodiagnostic cartridges employ a sealed structure to prevent leakage of pathogens contained in the sample to the outside, but the final stage waste liquid tank has an opening to the outside. If it is provided, it is easy to perform internal fluid transfer control (also simply referred to as fluid control). Currently, a structure in which an opening is provided in a waste liquid tank and the opening is covered with a filter made of a hydrophobic porous membrane has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

International Publication No. WO01 / 013127

  However, with a conventional structure that has a sealed structure that does not discharge hazardous waste liquid to the outside and has an opening that communicates with the outside, and the opening is covered with a filter made of a porous membrane, in the unlikely event that abnormal pressure is applied to the cartridge , Dangerous substances may damage the filter and splash outside.

  The object of the present invention is to solve such problems, such as medical diagnostic cartridges, environmental measurement chips, biocartridges, Lab-on-a-chips and Fab-on-a-chips using μTAS, etc. (Hereinafter collectively referred to as chemical reaction cartridges), waste liquid containing pathogens, etc., or a sealed structure that does not release dangerous substances such as environmental hormones to the outside, and the final stage waste liquid to facilitate internal fluid control An object of the present invention is to realize a chemical reaction cartridge that is provided with an opening in a tank, prevents dangerous waste liquid from coming out of the waste liquid tank, and can easily control the internal fluid.

In order to achieve such a problem, the invention of claim 1 according to the present invention provides:
A chemical reaction cartridge for performing a reaction or processing of a specimen in a sealed container, wherein a waste liquid tank is provided in the container, and a liquid absorbing agent that absorbs the waste liquid is provided in the waste liquid tank. The waste liquid tank is provided with an opening that leads to the outside, and the opening is closed by a filter that allows only gas to pass through.

  According to such a configuration, dangerous substances such as waste liquid or environmental hormones can be gelled and captured in the waste liquid tank, and even if the cartridge is broken, the dangerous substances are scattered because it is gelled. Can be prevented. Moreover, the backflow in the cartridge can be prevented by gelling the dangerous substance. At the same time, by forming the opening portion closed by the filter in the waste liquid tank, the gas in the cartridge can be easily discharged to the outside, and the internal fluid control becomes extremely easy.

In this case, the filter is a hydrophobic porous membrane as described in claim 2, which is permeable to gas but not liquid and solid.
Moreover, a liquid absorbing agent is a liquid absorbing agent which can gelatinize while absorbing a waste liquid, as described in claim 3.
Further, the opening can be formed from one or a plurality of holes as in the fourth aspect.

Further, as the chemical reaction cartridge, for example, as in claim 5, a plurality of chambers for storing specimens, reagents, processing liquids, etc., a reaction chamber into which the specimens, reagents, processing liquids, etc. are sent, A flow path connecting these chambers and the waste tank, and a means for transferring a sample, a reagent, a processing liquid, etc. to the reaction chamber and transferring the waste liquid to the waste tank can be used.
Further, according to the present invention, a bio-cartridge including a genetic diagnosis cartridge and an environmental measurement chip, or a Lab-on-a-chip or Fab-on-a-chip using μTAS as described in claim 6. Applicable.

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention has the following effects.
(1) Dangerous substances such as waste liquids and environmental hormones can be gelled and captured in a waste liquid tank, and even if the cartridge is broken, the gelling can prevent the dangerous substances from scattering.
(2) By gelling the hazardous substance, it is possible to easily prevent the backflow of the waste liquid entering the waste liquid tank.
(3) The present invention can be easily applied to bio-cartridges including genetic diagnosis cartridges and environmental measurement chips, or Lab-on-a-chips and Fab-on-a-chips using μTAS.
(4) Since the opening part closed with the filter of the hydrophobic porous chamber membrane was provided in the waste liquid tank, and the gas discharge port was prepared, the fluid transfer control became extremely easy.
(5) Waste liquid treatment means that is extremely advantageous for downsizing of the cartridge.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of a chemical reaction cartridge according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a plate-like member 2 of the chemical reaction cartridge, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the chemical reaction cartridge. .
The chemical reaction cartridge 1 has a structure in which a cover 3 is covered on a flat plate member 2 as shown in FIG. 1 (this is also referred to as a container). The flat member 2 is formed with a plurality of chambers 10 to 16 and a flow path 20 connecting them. These chambers 10 to 16 and the flow path 20 are holes and grooves that do not penetrate the flat plate member 2.

  A specimen or a measurement specimen (hereinafter collectively referred to as a specimen) is injected into the chamber 10. In the other chambers 11 to 14, a reagent, a processing liquid, a cleaning liquid, or the like mixed with the specimen is stored as appropriate. The chamber 15 is a reaction chamber, and a specimen from the chamber 10, a processing liquid from the chambers 11 to 14, and the like are sent through the flow path 20. The chamber 16 (hereinafter referred to as a waste liquid tank) stores a liquid absorbing agent 17 that contains the waste liquid and gels.

  The cover 3 is hermetically covered on the upper surface of the chemical reaction cartridge in which such chambers and flow paths are formed, whereby a hollow chamber and a flow path are formed. However, the cover 3 on the upper part of the waste liquid tank 16 has openings formed by through holes (the number of openings is not limited to one and may be plural, and not limited to one, but may be plural. This is referred to as an opening) 31. The opening 31 is provided with a hydrophobic porous membrane filter 32 having the property of allowing gas to pass but blocking liquid and solid. The filter 32 is attached to the front surface side or back surface side of the cover 3 or an intermediate position thereof (on the back surface side in the drawing) so that the waste liquid does not leak from the opening 31.

  When the waste liquid tank 16 in the final stage has a sealed structure, in order to facilitate fluid control, the waste liquid tank is kept in a vacuum or requires an opening to the outside. The present invention has a structure provided with an opening. Prevention of waste liquid leakage at the opening is realized by a combination of preventing the waste liquid from being discharged to the outside by the filter 32 and making the dangerous waste liquid itself gelled and difficult to go outside.

An operation method in such a chemical reaction cartridge will be described. Necessary reagents and treatment liquids are injected into the chambers 11 to 14 in advance. After injecting the sample into the chamber 10, the sample is transferred to the reaction chamber 15.
Note that, for example, a method of injecting a specimen into the chamber 10 can be used by, for example, providing an injection port formed of an elastic body in a chemical reaction cartridge and inserting a syringe needle into the injection port to inject the sample. .

  The reaction product after reacting in the reaction chamber 15 is measured by an external measuring instrument through an electrode (not shown) embedded in the reaction chamber. Alternatively, when light emission from the reactant is measured, it is measured by a reader through a transparent window (not shown) provided on the upper surface of the chamber 15.

  Such a series of analysis preparation and measurement is performed in the cartridge according to each step of the protocol, and waste liquid generated at that time is finally sent to the waste liquid tank 16. The liquid absorbent stored in the waste liquid tank 16 absorbs the waste liquid and gels. Therefore, waste liquids containing pathogenic bacteria and the like, and dangerous substances such as environmental hormones can be safely captured in the waste liquid tank 16 of the cartridge. Even if the cartridge is damaged, the dangerous substance does not scatter around because it is gelled. The gelation by the liquid absorbing agent also prevents backflow to the reaction chamber 15 side.

  In this case, not only the waste liquid but also the gas that has entered the chamber or the flow path is sent to the waste liquid tank 16, but only the gas passes through the filter 32 and is discharged to the outside from the opening 31. Therefore, the pressure of the waste liquid tank 16 and other chambers does not increase during fluid transfer by pressurization, and internal fluid control is easily performed. Further, even if the pressurization for fluid transfer is stopped, there is no pressure difference inside the cartridge, and therefore no back flow of the fluid in the chamber or flow path occurs.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and includes many changes and modifications without departing from the essence thereof.
For example, the opening is formed in the cover 3 in the embodiment, but may be formed in the flat plate member 2. Further, the opening is not limited to a circular hole and can be a hole having an arbitrary shape. Or it is good also as an opening part which consists of several holes, or a mesh-shaped opening part. However, it is necessary to block all the holes in any opening with a filter.

It is a general-view figure which shows one Example of the cartridge for chemical reactions which concerns on this invention. It is a typical perspective view of the flat member of the cartridge for chemical reaction which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing of the cartridge for chemical reaction which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Chemical reaction cartridge 2 Flat plate member 3 Cover 10, 11, 13, 14 Chamber 15 Reaction chamber 16 Waste liquid tank 17 Absorbent 20 Flow path 31 Opening part 32 Filter

Claims (6)

A chemical reaction cartridge for performing reaction or processing of a specimen in a sealed container,
A waste tank is provided in the container,
The waste liquid tank is filled with a liquid absorbent that absorbs the waste liquid, and the waste liquid tank is provided with an opening leading to the outside, and the opening is closed with a filter that allows only gas to pass through. A cartridge for chemical reaction.   2. The chemical reaction cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the filter is a hydrophobic porous membrane that is permeable to gas but not liquid and solid. 3.   The cartridge for chemical reaction according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the liquid absorbent is a liquid absorbent capable of absorbing waste liquid and gelling.   The chemical reaction cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the opening includes one or a plurality of holes.   The cartridge for chemical reaction includes a plurality of chambers for storing specimens, reagents, processing solutions, etc., a reaction chamber for feeding the specimens, reagents, processing solutions, etc., and a flow connecting these chambers and the waste tank. 5. The chemical reaction cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising means for transferring a sample, a reagent, a processing solution, and the like to the reaction chamber and transferring the waste solution to a waste tank. The chemical reaction cartridge is a bio-cartridge including a genetic diagnosis cartridge, an environmental measurement chip, or a Lab-on-a-chip or Fab-on-a-chip using μTAS. 6. The chemical reaction cartridge according to any one of 1 to 5.

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