JPH055735A - Method for continuous quantitative analysis of component in urine by flow injection system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a method for analysis which enables easy analysis of a component in urine and automation of measurement and makes it possible to construct an apparatus to be small in size. CONSTITUTION:A urine sample liquid is made to flow into an inflow passage 12 through an introduction passage 16, while a prescribed precipitant is injected into the inflow passage 12 or a measuring cell 10 through an introduction passage 18 or 32. The liquid is made to flow in one direction through a route including the measuring cell 10, a reaction precipitate of the urine sample liquid and the precipitant is precipitated on the surface of a quartz oscillator inside the measuring cell 10 in the above process, a change in an oscillation frequency of the quartz oscillator before and after the precipitation is determined and thereby a component in urine is analyzed quantitatively.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for quantitatively analyzing urinary components, and more particularly to a method for measuring urine components using a crystal oscillator.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Knowing the amount of protein in urine is a useful method for obtaining information on the condition of a living body. Therefore, recently, as shown in FIG. 9, a urine component measuring device is provided in a toilet (toilet bowl) 100 of each home, etc., and this is connected to a medical institution 104 by a telephone line 102 to obtain at each home. It is envisaged to send such data to the medical institution 104 online so that the medical institution 104 can check the health condition of the patient.

This system has a great advantage in that it can measure the components of urine that wakes up early in the morning. The urinary components have large daily fluctuations and are easily affected by the content of meals, exercise load status, environment, etc. Therefore, urinary components greatly vary depending on the date and time of urinalysis. It is clinically said that early morning wake-up urine (early morning first urine) is less likely to be affected by this. Therefore, according to the above concept, this early morning wake-up urine can be easily collected and the urinary components can be measured. There is a merit that can be done.

[0004] Conventionally, the method mainly clinically used as a method for measuring protein in urine is to make the collected urine-containing liquid acidic to positively charge the protein, and to add a precipitating agent such as sulfosalicylic acid to this. Is used to precipitate a salt due to the reaction of protein with sulphosalicylic acid and the like, and the fact that the solution causes turbidity is utilized.

More specifically, first, a precipitating agent such as sulfosalicylic acid is added to urine of which the amount of protein is known and the contents thereof are different from each other to form a precipitate. On the other hand, urine with an unknown protein content is also subjected to the same operation to cause turbidity. Then, the amount of protein is known by visually comparing the turbidity of a sample with an unknown amount of protein with the turbidity of a sample with a known amount of protein.

As a method for measuring urinary protein, a method of measuring the turbidity of a sample with an absorptiometer is also used. That is, a sample having turbidity is irradiated with light having a specific wavelength, and the absorbance of the sample is measured.

However, these methods are complicated in operation and require a great deal of labor and time for measurement, and they are not sufficiently satisfactory in terms of measurement accuracy. In addition, in the method using an absorptiometer, there is a problem that cell contamination becomes a problem, which causes a measurement error.

Therefore, in the latter method, care is taken in the measurement so as to prevent the contamination of the cell from affecting, and sufficient maintenance is performed to keep the cell clean. It was a troublesome and complicated task.

Although these methods are suitable for use in medical institutions, they are difficult to use as methods for measuring urinary components in domestic toilets as described above, and in realizing the concept described above. It was desired to realize a method that can measure urinary components simply, easily and accurately.

[0010] Therefore, the applicant of the present invention is
No. 417139), a precipitating agent is added to the collected urine to precipitate proteins and the like in the urine on the surface of the crystal oscillator, and by measuring the change in the oscillation frequency of the crystal oscillator, A method for determining the amounts of components was proposed.

This method makes use of the fact that the oscillation frequency changes when a precipitate is present on the surface of the crystal oscillator, and according to this method, proteins and the like in urine can be accurately measured.

By the way, as described above, when measuring urinary proteins and the like in household toilets, it is desirable to be able to automatically measure when urine is used, and the measuring device is compact and easy to use in toilet bowls and the like. It is desirable that it can be built in or assembled to the.

[0013]

The method of the present invention has been devised to solve such a problem, and its gist is as follows.
(A) a crystal oscillator provided inside the container, a measurement cell provided with a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, and (b) an inflow passage through which a liquid to be measured flows into the measurement cell, (C) A discharge passage for discharging the measured liquid in the measurement cell, (d) a urine sample liquid introducing passage for guiding the urine sample liquid to the inflow passage, and (e) a urine sample liquid for flowing in through the introducing passage. A urine sample liquid injecting means for injecting into the passage, (f) a precipitating agent introducing passage for introducing a predetermined precipitating agent for precipitating urinary components into the inflow passage or into the measurement cell, and (g)
A precipitant injecting means for injecting the precipitant through the precipitant introducing passage is provided, and the urine sample liquid is unidirectionally circulated through a path including the measurement cell so that the precipitant and The precipitation in the reaction is caused to precipitate, and the urinary component is measured by measuring the frequency change before and after the precipitation of the crystal oscillator.

[Operation and Effect of the Invention] In the method of the present invention, the urine sample liquid is injected into the inflow passage through the introduction passage, and a predetermined precipitant is injected into the inflow passage through the precipitant introduction passage. , And their mixed liquid is caused to flow into the measuring cell through the inflow passage.

Alternatively, the urine sample liquid is caused to flow into the measurement cell through the inflow passage and the precipitant is directly injected into the cell. Then, the precipitate due to these reactions is deposited on the surface of the quartz oscillator inside the measuring cell. Then, the oscillation frequency change of the crystal oscillator before and after the precipitation is measured, and the amount of the urinary component is obtained from the frequency change.

On the other hand, the liquid that has been introduced into the measuring cell and has been measured is allowed to flow out of the cell through the discharge passage.
That is, in the present invention, the liquid is circulated in one direction, and in the process, urine components are quantitatively analyzed.

As described above, this method is for injecting a urine sample solution into a flow for component analysis, and the analyzer can be constructed in a small size. Therefore, it can be easily incorporated in the toilet bowl. You can Alternatively, it can be attached to the toilet bowl as a predetermined measuring unit.

Further, unlike the method of measuring the urinary components by the batch method, it is easy to automate, so that the toilet user can automatically know the urinary components by adding the urine. The management is facilitated and the concept shown in FIG. 9 described above can be realized.

[0019]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention applied to quantitative analysis of protein in urine will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Figure 1
(A) is a flow chart for analyzing protein as a urinary component.
It shows an injection system. 1 in the figure
Reference numeral 0 is a measuring cell, and a crystal oscillator is provided inside the container.

An inflow passage 12 and a discharge passage 14 are connected to the measuring cell 10, a liquid to be measured flows into the measuring cell 10 through the inflow passage 12, and after measurement, is discharged to the outside through the discharging passage 14. It is supposed to be discharged.

The inflow passage 12 is connected with an introduction passage 16 for introducing a urine sample liquid and an introduction passage 18 for introducing a precipitation agent for protein in urine (sulfosalicylic acid, trichloracetic acid, etc.) at the same position. The urine sample liquid introducing passage 16 is for guiding the urine sample liquid to the inflow passage 12, and the mixing coil 20 is provided on the way.
And a valve 22 for injecting a urine sample into the introduction passage 16.

A cleaning liquid introduction passage 30 is connected to the inflow passage 12 via a solenoid valve 28.

In the case of this flow injection system, first, the buffer solution is sent by the pump 24 to flow from the introduction passage 16 into the inflow passage 12 and then into the measuring cell 10. Then, the pump 24 is once stopped and the liquid supply is interrupted, and in that state, the oscillation frequency F ₁ of the crystal oscillator in the measurement cell 10 is measured.

Next, the urine sample solution is injected into the introduction passage 16 and mixed with the buffer solution in the mixing coil 20, and then flown into the inflow passage 12. At the same time, the precipitant is introduced into the inflow passage 12 through the introduction passage 18, and the combined liquid passes through the reaction coil 26 and then flows into the measuring cell 10 via the solenoid valve 28.

At this stage, the pump 24 is stopped and the oscillation frequency F ₂ of the crystal oscillator in the measuring cell 10 is measured.
Then, based on the oscillation frequency change ΔF = F ₁ −F ₂ , the amount of precipitate, that is, the total amount of urinary protein is obtained.

When the measurement of the frequency change of the crystal unit is completed, the flow path of the solenoid valve 28 is next switched to cause the cleaning solution to flow into the inflow passage 12 by the pump 24 through the introduction passage 30, and the inside of the measurement cell 10 is further changed. The inside of the measurement cell 10 including the surface of the crystal resonator is washed by flowing the crystal.

FIG. 1 (B) shows another example of the flow injection system, in which the precipitant introducing passage 32 is directly connected to the measuring cell 10.

In this system, first, a buffer solution and a urine sample solution are mixed and introduced into the upper measuring cell 10. Then, the oscillation frequency F ₁ of the crystal oscillator is measured with the pump 24 temporarily stopped. Ru

Next, a precipitating agent is injected into the measuring cell 10 through the introduction passage 32, and the urine sample solution in the cell 10 is reacted with the precipitating agent to deposit the precipitate on the surface of the quartz oscillator. Then, the oscillating frequency F ₂ of the crystal unit after a lapse of a certain time is read. F ₂ and F ₁ at this time
The total amount of protein in urine can be calculated from the difference ΔF = F ₁ −F ₂ .

After the measurement was completed, the pump 24, which was sending the buffer solution and the precipitant, was stopped, and at the same time, the solenoid valve 28 was stopped.
The flow paths are switched and the cleaning solution is sent to clean the inside of the measurement cell 10 with the cleaning solution. As a result, a series of measurement operations are completed, and thereafter, the same operation is repeated to analyze the protein in the next urine sample.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a measuring cell structure used in the flow injection system of FIG. 1A, in which a crystal oscillator 38 is housed. The crystal oscillator 38 is provided such that only one surface side is exposed inside the container.

In the measuring cell 36, an inflow pipe 40 opened at the bottom of the container and an exhaust pipe 41 opened at the top of the container.
And are provided.

In the measuring cell 36, the mixed liquid of the urine sample liquid and the precipitant flows into the measuring cell 36 through the inflow pipe 40 and fills the inside of the cell 36.
Then, the precipitate due to the reaction is deposited on the surface of the crystal oscillator 38, the oscillation frequency of the crystal oscillator is measured, and then the liquid inside the cell 36 is discharged to the outside through the discharge pipe 41.

In the case of this measuring cell 36, air is not allowed to remain inside and is sufficiently extracted through the discharge pipe 41.

FIG. 3 shows another structural example of the measuring cell used in the same flow injection system. In this example, inflow and outflow pipes 42 and 44 are shown.
Rushes in from the upper surface of the measuring cell 43.

One of the pipes 42 extends to the bottom of the measuring cell 43 so that the liquid can flow into the inside of the measuring cell 43 at the bottom. The other pipe 44 is open at the upper part inside the measuring cell 43, and the liquid inside the measuring cell 43 is discharged from the upper part to the outside.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the structure of a measuring cell used in the flow injection system shown in FIG. 1 (B). In this example, the precipitating agent is added to the measuring cell 46.
A precipitant injection pipe 48 for guiding the inside is provided separately from the inflow pipe 40 and the outflow pipe 41.

FIG. 5 shows another example of the cell structure used in the same flow injection system. In the figure, reference numeral 52 is a precipitant injection pipe.

FIG. 6 shows another example of the cell structure in which the ceiling surface inside the measuring cell is an inclined surface 58. This has the advantage that the air inside the measuring cell can be guided to the discharge pipe 56 by the inclined surface 58 and the air can be sufficiently evacuated.

Next, FIGS. 7 and 8 show an example in which an apparatus is constructed according to the flow injection system shown in FIG. 1A and is assembled in a toilet bowl. First, in FIG. 7, 60 is a Western-style toilet bowl, and 62 is a urine protein analyzer unit assembled in the toilet bowl 60.

The concrete structure of the analyzer unit 62 is shown in FIG. In FIG. 8, reference numeral 64 is a measurement cell, in which a crystal oscillator 65 is incorporated. An inflow passage 66 and an exhaust passage 67 are connected to the measuring cell 64, and a reaction coil 70 is provided in the inflow passage 66.

Reference numeral 72 denotes an introduction passage for introducing the urine sample solution into the inflow passage 66 together with the buffer solution, and a mixing coil 74 is provided on the way. An electromagnetic valve 76 is provided at the connecting portion between the introduction passage 72 and the inflow passage 66.

Reference numerals 82 and 84 respectively denote a buffer solution and a precipitating agent, which are accommodated in the containers 78 and 80, respectively, and are pump 86 and
The solution is delivered at 88.

As shown in FIG. 7, part of the urine is collected by the urine collection cylinder 83 provided in the toilet bowl 60, and the collected urine sample solution is sent by the pump 90 into a predetermined path.

An oscillator circuit 92 is connected to the crystal oscillator 65, and a frequency counter 94 is connected to the oscillator circuit 92.
Further, a computer 96 is further connected to the frequency counter 94, and the calculation result, that is, the measurement result is displayed on the display 98.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, this is merely an example, and the present invention can be carried out in a mode in which various modifications are made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. is there.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a flow injection type urinary component analysis method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a measuring cell used in the method shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another example of the measurement cell.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing still another example of the measurement cell.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing still another example of the measurement cell.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing still another example of the measurement cell.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example in which an analyzer unit configured according to FIG. 1 (A) is attached to a toilet bowl.

FIG. 8 is a specific configuration diagram of the analyzer unit.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the background of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 36, 43, 46, 50, 54, 64 Measuring cell 12, 66 Inflow passage 14, 67 Discharge passage 16, 72 Urine sample liquid introduction passage 18, 32 Precipitant introduction passage 24, 86, 88, 90 Pump 38, 65 Quartz crystal unit 40,42 Inflow pipe 41,44,56 Discharge pipe

Claims (1)

Claims: (a) A measuring cell provided with a crystal resonator inside the container, and a liquid inlet and outlet, and (b) measurement inside the measuring cell. An inflow passage for inflowing a liquid as a target, (c) an exhaust passage for exhausting the measured liquid inside the measurement cell, and (d) a urine sample liquid introduction passage for guiding the urine sample liquid to the inflow passage, (E) Urine sample liquid injecting means for injecting the urine sample liquid into the inflow passage through the introduction passage, and (f) Precipitation for introducing a predetermined precipitating agent for precipitating components in urine into the inflow passage or inside the measurement cell. A reagent introducing passage and (g) a precipitating agent injecting means for injecting the precipitating agent through the precipitating agent introducing passage are provided, and the urine sample liquid is circulated in one direction through the passage including the measurement cell to cause crystal vibration in the cell. Precipitate the precipitate from the reaction with the precipitant on the surface of the child. And a urinary component by measuring the frequency change before and after the precipitation of the crystal oscillator.
Continuous quantitative analysis of urinary components by injection method.