JPH09178650A - Spectrophotometer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a spectrophotometer wherein the input operation in measurement is simple and the formation of a calibration curve in measurement is not required. SOLUTION: When a reagent package 9, wherein a sample is injected, is set in a spectrophotometer, a reading means 6 of the spectrophotometer reads the reagent information provided in the reagent package 9, and a mode setting means comprising a diffraction-grating driving means 7, a light-receiving-part selecting means 8 and an operating-mode memory means 14 sets the operating mode and performs the analysis of absorbance luminous intensity. Correcting means (10 and 16) correct reagent errors in the result of the analysis. Furthermore, a measuring-parameter setting means comprising an operating means 10 and a measured-parameter memory means 15 operates and obtains the value of the measuring item based on the measured parameter. Since the reading of the reagent information, the setting of the operating mode, the setting of the measuring parameter and the processing operation of the correction of the reagent error and the like can be performed only by setting the reagent package 9 in the spectrophotometer, the input operation in the measurement can be simplified, and the formation of the calibration line in the measurement can be omitted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a spectrophotometer for performing spectrophotometric analysis.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A spectrophotometer is known as an analyzer for performing colorimetric analysis such as quantitative analysis by obtaining the absorbance of a color-developing compound produced by a reaction with a reagent or the like. Conventionally, in colorimetric analysis using a spectrophotometer, a sample to be measured is colored by adding a reagent that causes a color reaction with a substance to be used for measurement.
The color-developed state of this sample is obtained as an absorbance with a spectrophotometer, the concentration of the object to be measured is obtained from this absorbance, and the required measurement items are calculated.

Conventionally, in the case of measuring the concentration of a sample by a spectrophotometer, the measurement condition corresponding to the measurement object is set in the spectrophotometer, and the calibration curve obtained by measuring the standard sample is used to measure the measurement object. The concentration of the sample is obtained from the measured value of.

[0004]

However, the conventional spectrophotometer has a problem in operability associated with measurement, and requires complicated operation. In a spectrophotometer, it is necessary to obtain the absorbance at the maximum absorption wavelength in order to measure with high sensitivity. Since this maximum absorption wavelength differs depending on the measurement target, it is necessary to set the measurement conditions corresponding to the wavelength suitable for each measurement target. The measurement conditions include, for example, the wavelength of light incident on the sample, the characteristics of a detector that measures the transmitted light that has passed through the sample, and the like, and must be set in advance before measurement. Further, because it is necessary to correct the manufacturing lot error of the reagent, it is necessary to obtain a calibration curve for each measurement object when obtaining the concentration from the obtained absorbance. Further, when obtaining the concentration and other measurement items, it is necessary to input and specify the measurement items to the spectrophotometer.

In the conventional spectrophotometer, since the measurer manually inputs the above-mentioned measurement conditions and measurement items, the input operation is time-consuming and there is a possibility that an input error may occur. Moreover, it is necessary to perform a plurality of measurements using a standard sample for correction of the manufacturing lot of the reagent.

Such complexity of the operation deteriorates the operability of the spectrophotometer, and is particularly problematic when performing simple measurement such as field analysis.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional spectrophotometer and to provide a spectrophotometer having a simple input operation in measurement. Another object of the present invention is to provide a spectrophotometer capable of eliminating the need for preparing a calibration curve during measurement.

[0008]

The present invention is a spectrophotometer for performing spectrophotometric analysis by transmitting light of a specific wavelength through a sample, and a reading means for reading reagent information provided in a reagent package for injecting the sample, An operation mode setting unit that sets an operation mode for performing light emission and photometry of a specific wavelength based on reagent information, a measurement parameter setting unit that sets measurement parameters according to measurement items based on reagent information, and a reagent By providing a correction unit that corrects the error included in the above based on the reagent information, it is possible to simplify the input operation in the measurement and eliminate the need to create a calibration curve during the measurement.

The reagent package used in the spectrophotometer of the present invention is a cell in which a reagent corresponding to the object to be measured is previously injected, and a sample can be injected and set as it is in the spectrophotometer as a measurement cell. This reagent package is provided with information such as operation modes, measurement parameters and correction data as reagent information, and can be read by the reading means of the spectrophotometer. In the first embodiment of the present invention, reagent information is provided in a reagent package in the form of a barcode and can be read by an optical reading means such as a barcode reader. In the second embodiment of the present invention, the reagent information is provided by a shape such as unevenness provided on the reagent package, and can be read by a mechanical switch that opens and closes according to the shape. Further, in the third embodiment of the present invention, the reagent information is provided in the reagent package by magnetic information and can be read by the magnetic detection means.

The operation mode of the spectrophotometer of the present invention is for setting the light emission and photometry of a specific wavelength corresponding to the object to be measured. For example, the angle of the diffraction grating for extracting the specific wavelength from the light source is set. It is for changing and selecting filters. The measurement parameter is a calculation program or coefficient necessary for obtaining the measurement item to be measured. In addition, the correction data is data for correcting the characteristics of the reagent, which are different for each manufacturing lot. The color-developing reagents have different sensitivities between production lots, and even if the concentration of the sample is the same, the absorbance varies depending on the reagents. Therefore, by correcting the obtained absorbance based on the correction data, the concentration can be obtained under the same condition regardless of the reagent. The measurement item in the present invention is an amount that can be calculated from the concentration measured by the spectrophotometer, and is, for example, the hydrogen ion concentration of the measurement target, the amount of the specific element, or the like.

When the measurement item to be measured is measured by the spectrophotometer of the present invention, a reagent package corresponding to the measurement item to be measured is selected and a sample is injected into the reagent package. Reagents according to the measurement target and the measurement item are stored in advance in the reagent package, and further information such as operation modes, measurement parameters, and correction data is provided on the package itself.

When the reagent package in which the sample is injected is set in the spectrophotometer, the reading means of the spectrophotometer reads the reagent information, and the operation mode setting means sets the operation mode based on the reagent information and performs the absorptiometric analysis. The correction means corrects the reagent error in the analysis result based on the correction data, and the measurement parameter setting means calculates the value of the measurement item based on the measurement parameter.

In the spectrophotometer of the present invention, processing operations such as reading of reagent information, operation mode setting, measurement parameter setting, and reagent error correction are performed simply by setting the reagent package in the spectrophotometer. Therefore, the input operation in the measurement can be simplified, and the preparation of the calibration curve in the measurement can be omitted.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

An example of the configuration of the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. 1 for explaining the configuration of one embodiment of the spectrophotometer of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the light source 2
And a light selection means 3 for extracting light of a specific wavelength from the light source 2.
(Hereinafter, referred to as monochromator 3), a light receiving unit 4 (for example, a photodiode) that directly receives light from the monochromator 3, and a light receiving unit 5 (for example, a photodiode) that receives transmitted light that has passed through the sample. The configuration in which the monitor signal detected by the light receiving unit 4 and the measurement signal detected by the light receiving unit 5 are input to obtain the absorbance is common to the conventional spectrophotometer. An optical filter other than the monochromator 3 can be used as the light selecting means, and
The light receiving parts 4 and 5 may have other configurations.

The spectrophotometer of the present invention has, in addition to the above-described structure of the conventional spectrophotometer, a reading means 6 for reading reagent information provided in the reagent package 9 and an operation mode setting means (diffraction grating). Driving means 7, light receiving section selecting means 8, operation mode storage means 14), and measurement parameter setting means (calculation means 10, measurement parameter storage means 15)
And correction means (calculation means 10, correction data storage means 1
6), code conversion means 12 for code-converting the reagent information read by the reading means 6 and read-out means 13 for reading out signals and data from the respective storage means 14, 15, 16 based on the converted signals. There is. The diffraction grating driving means 7 is used as a light selecting means as the monochromator 3.
Is a driving means for adjusting the angle of the diffraction grating when using, and a filter selecting means when using an optical filter.

On the optical path between the monochromator 3 and the light receiving section 4, a measuring cell filled with the sample is installed, and the absorbance of the sample injected into the measuring cell is measured. In the spectrophotometer of the present invention, a reagent package 9 adapted to the spectrophotometer of the present invention is used as a measuring cell. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the reagent package of the present invention. In FIG. 2 (a), the reagent package 9 can be made of a material having a sufficient transmittance for at least light of a wavelength used for measurement, for example, fused quartz or glass as in a normal measurement cell, and the inside of Inject the reagent into. This reagent is selected according to the measurement target.
The sample can be injected into the reagent package 9 through the opening 91 formed in the reagent package. Further, the reagent package 9 is provided with information on the reagent, for example, by a barcode 92.

This reagent information includes an operation mode relating to emission and photometry of light of a specific wavelength corresponding to the measurement target, measurement parameters for measuring measurement items, and correction data for correcting the characteristics of the reagent that differ for each manufacturing lot. Etc.
The measurement item is an amount calculated by calculation from the concentration measured by the spectrophotometer, for example, the hydrogen ion concentration of the measurement target,
It is the concentration of hydroxide ion, the amount of specific element, etc. In addition, since the color reagents have different sensitivities between production lots and the concentration varies even with the same absorbance, the correction data is corrected for the obtained absorbance, and the concentration is determined under the same conditions for the reagents. . This correction data is obtained by measuring the characteristics of the reagent in advance using a standard sample and obtaining an error.

Therefore, the reagent information of the reagent package includes the measurement conditions for performing the spectrophotometric measurement with the reagent, the content of the measurement item obtained from the obtained absorbance, the correction data for correcting the lot error of the reagent, and the like. Will be done.

When the reagent information is provided by the bar code 92, the reagent information can be read by an optical reading means such as a bar code reader. Others, Figure 2
As shown in (b), the reagent information may be provided in a part of the reagent package by a notch or a protrusion-depression portion 94. Further, when there is no influence on the reagent or the reaction liquid, reagent information can be provided by magnetic information.

Next, the operation mode storage means 14 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 1. The operation mode is a mode in which light selection means such as a monochromator or light receiving means is adjusted to emit and measure light of a specific wavelength corresponding to the measurement target. The operation mode storage means 14 stores, for example, angle data Θ of the diffraction grating. (Or the filter F) and the light receiving portion T are stored in association with the specific wavelength λ.

In FIG. 1, when the reading means 6 reads the bar code provided on the reagent package 9 to obtain the reagent information, the code converting means 12 converts the code of the reagent information. The reading means 13 sends a signal related to the operation mode to the operation mode storage means 14. For example, in the case of the operation mode of the specific wavelength λ3, the operation mode storage means 14 reads the angle data Θ3 (or the filter F3) of the diffraction grating and the light receiving part T3 corresponding to the specific wavelength λ3, and the diffraction grating driving means 7 (or the filter). (Selection unit) and the light receiving unit selection unit 8 to adjust the angle of the diffraction grating of the monochromator 3 (or filter selection) and select the light receiving unit 5.

Next, the measurement parameter storage means 15, the correction data storage means 16, and the calculation means 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 1. The measurement parameter is a calculation program or coefficient necessary for measuring the measurement item, and the correction data is data for correcting the characteristic of the reagent which differs for each manufacturing lot.

The measurement parameter storage means 15 receives a signal regarding the measurement parameter from the reading means 13. The measurement parameter storage unit 15 stores, for example, calculation programs and coefficients for measurement items (only the calculation program is shown in FIG. 4), and the calculation program in the calculation unit 10 contains the concentration measured by the spectrophotometer. The value of the measurement item can be obtained by substituting.

Further, the correction data storage means 16 receives a signal regarding the correction data from the reading means 13. The correction data storage means 16 stores a plurality of calibration curves showing the relationship between the absorbance and the concentration. A typical one is selected and stored as the calibration curve according to the sensitivity difference of each manufacturing lot of the reagent. On the other hand, as for the correction data provided in the reagent package, the error of the manufacturing lot is obtained in advance, and the correction data storage means 1 is used for the calibration curve for correcting the error.
A value close to the calibration curve stored in 6 is set as the selected value.
This makes it possible to obtain an appropriate calibration curve simply by reading the correction data, without performing the operation for obtaining the calibration curve as in the conventional spectrophotometer.

The computing means 10 is the absorbance measuring means 1
1, a concentration measuring unit 17, and a measurement item calculating unit 18 are provided. The absorbance measuring means 11 inputs a monitor signal and a measurement signal similarly to a normal spectrophotometer to obtain the absorbance A, and the concentration measuring means 17 determines the absorbance A from the calibration curve based on the calibration curve read from the correction data storage means 16. Determine the density C. Further, the measurement item calculation means 18 is the measurement parameter storage means 1
The value of the measurement item is calculated by substituting the concentration C into the calculation program read from 5.

In FIG. 4, the operation when the measurement item m2 is obtained as the measurement parameter from the reagent information and the correction data d3 is obtained as the correction data will be described. The measurement parameter storage means 15 reads the calculation program P3 corresponding to the measurement item m2 and sends it to the measurement item calculation means 18 in the calculation means 10. Further, the correction data storage means 1
6 reads the calibration curve D3 corresponding to the correction data d3 and sends it to the concentration measuring means 17. The concentration measuring unit 17 applies the absorbance A obtained by the absorbance measuring unit 11 to a calibration curve D3 to obtain a concentration C, and the concentration C is measured item calculating unit 1
Send to 8. The measurement item calculation means 18 substitutes the concentration C into the calculation program P3 to obtain and output the value of the measurement item.

Therefore, the steps up to obtaining the values of the measurement items can be carried out by simply installing the reagent package 9 in the spectrophotometer of the present invention, and setting the operation mode for measurement and calibration. Operation processes such as line creation, reagent error correction depending on the manufacturing lot, and calculation for obtaining measurement items are automatically performed based on the reagent information provided in the reagent package.

Next, another configuration of the correction data storage means will be described with reference to FIG. The configuration shown in FIG. 5 is almost the same as the configuration of FIG. 4, and is different in the stored contents of the correction data storage unit and the configuration of the calibration curve calculation unit 19 for obtaining the calibration curve based on the stored contents. Only the different parts will be described below.

The correction data storage means 16 stores a coefficient for determining a calibration curve as a correction coefficient. If the calibration curve is represented by, for example, a quadratic curve (y = αx ² + βx + γ), the calibration curve can be specified by storing the coefficients α, β, γ that specify this quadratic curve as correction coefficients. . Note that the calibration curve is a straight line (y = β
In the case of being represented by x), only the correction coefficient to be stored is β, and the amount of data stored in the reagent information provided in the reagent package 9 and the correction data storage means 16 can be reduced.

The case where only β is stored as the correction coefficient will be described below. When the correction data d3 is obtained as the correction data, the correction data storage means 16 reads the correction coefficient β3 corresponding to the correction data d3 and sends it to the calibration curve calculation means 19 in the calculation means 10. The calibration curve computing means 19 substitutes the correction coefficient β3 into the equation of the straight line (y = βx) to obtain the equation of the calibration curve, and the calibration curve is obtained by the concentration measuring means 1
Set to 7. As a result, the concentration measuring means 17 causes the concentration C for the absorbance A obtained from the absorbance measuring means 11.
Can be requested. The measurement item calculation means 18 obtains and outputs the value of the measurement item using the calculation program and the concentration C in the same manner as described above.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the calibration curve previously stored by the correction data is selected,
Since the calibration curve can be obtained by calculation, the operation of recreating the calibration curve for each measurement can be omitted and the operation can be simplified. Further, when a coefficient for specifying the calibration curve is used as the correction data, the calibration curve can be set more finely.

Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the spectrophotometer automatically recognizes and sets the reagent information such as the operation mode, the measurement parameter, the correction data and the like provided in the reagent package, so that the time for inputting the data is set. Can be shortened, and human input errors can be eliminated.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention,
In the spectrophotometer, the input operation in the measurement can be simplified, and the preparation of the calibration curve in the measurement can be omitted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an embodiment of a spectrophotometer of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of the reagent package of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an operation mode storage means of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining operations of a measurement parameter storage means, a correction data storage means, and a calculation means of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining operations of a measurement parameter storage means, a correction data storage means, and a calculation means of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Signal processing means, 2 ... Light source, 3 ... Light selecting means (monochrometer), 4 ... Light receiving part, 5 ... Light receiving part, 6 ... Reading means, 7 ... Diffraction grating driving means, 8 ... Light receiving part selecting means, 9 …
Reagent package, 10 ... Calculation means, 11 ... Absorbance measurement means, 12 ... Code conversion means, 13 ... Read-out means, 14 ...
Operation mode storage means, 15 ... measurement parameter storage means,
16 ... Correction data storing means, 17 ... Density measuring means, 18
... measurement item calculation means, 19 ... calibration curve calculation means, 91 ... opening, 92 ... bar code, 93 ... reagent, 94 ... uneven portion.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A spectrophotometer for performing spectrophotometric analysis by transmitting light of a specific wavelength through a sample, a reading means for reading reagent information provided in a reagent package into which the sample is injected, and emission of light of a specific wavelength. Operation mode setting means for setting the operation mode for performing photometry based on the reagent information, measurement parameter setting means for setting the measurement parameter according to the measurement item based on the reagent information, and error included in the reagent information A spectrophotometer, characterized by comprising a correction means for performing correction based on the above.