JPS61251771A - Automatic chemical analyzing instrument with flow cell - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the accuracy of analysis by providing a suction nozzle for pure water of reagent liquid and suction nozzle for specimen reactive liquid in communication with a flow cell. CONSTITUTION:A piston 45' of a reciprocating pump 45 is moved in the suction direction and the pure water is admitted from a pure water vessel 38 into the flow cell 7 when a reaction tube 3 is sent to a photometric part 4. The cell blank is thus subjected to photometry. A rotor 33' of a three-way valve 33 is then rotated and the specimen reactive liquid is admitted from the tube 3 into the flow cell 7 and the absorbancy of the analytical item of the specimen reactive liquid is measured. The cell blank and specimen reactive liquids in the reaction tubes 3', 3'', etc. are similarly subjected to photometry with the analytical item components thereof and the measured photometric data are successively fed to a data processor where the previous and succeeding cell blank values are compared and the correction is adequately executed with the measured value of the reactive liquid. The analytical values having less variance are thus obtd.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (A) Industrial Application Field The present invention relates to an automatic chemical analyzer having a 7117-cell, and particularly to an automatic chemical analyzer having a flow cell equipped with a cell blank measurement mechanism.

In addition, the present invention can be applied to blood, plasma, serum, urine, other body fluids,
The present invention relates to a cell blank measurement mechanism in an automatic analyzer having a flow cell for specimens such as secretions.

(b) Conventional technology Automatic chemical analyzers are used for component analysis and interfering component analysis of samples such as plasma, serum, urine, other body fluids, secretions, etc., and the analytical values are used for diagnosis and treatment. It is used for guidelines, etc. Moreover, for such medical information, the diagnostic accuracy is higher when multiple analysis items are combined than from a single analysis item, so the number of analysis items required for one sample is increasing. . However, the amount of specimen required, especially for blood, is limited by blood sampling, and furthermore, due to advances in analysis technology, the amount of specimen required is reduced to am. is required.

By the way, the specimen contains, for example, coagulated components such as fibrinogen in blood, or precipitated components such as uric acid and protein in urine, and the reaction reagent contains dyes or latex fine particles with adsorption activity. In addition, the reaction solution also contains a colored substance, an antigen-antibody complex, etc. produced by the reaction with the reaction reagent. These substances interfere with photometry during the process of flowing a reaction solution through a flow cell and measuring light, causing errors in photometric values.

Conventionally, in order to avoid such errors, photometry is performed by flowing a reagent blank solution into the flow cell instead of the reaction solution, and this reagent blank value (A m ) is subtracted from the photometry value (As) of the reaction solution. This is multiplied by a concentration conversion coefficient (K) to obtain the component value of the analysis item in the sample.

(c) Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in general, correction using a reagent blank value is not performed for each sample, so it is necessary to correct errors caused by reactants in the reaction solution adhering to the photometric cell surface. This is unavoidable and causes drift in measured values, which is considered a problem.

Therefore, in a direct-type automatic chemical analyzer in which the reaction tube also serves as a photometric cell, after photometry is complete, pure water is dispensed into the clean reaction tube that is cleaned for reuse, and photometry is carried out. Calculate the blank value (A ca ), subtract the reagent blank value (AR8) and photometric cell blank value (A co ) from the photometric value (As) of the reaction solution, and add the concentration conversion coefficient (K ) to determine the component value of the analysis item in the sample.

However, when measuring a series of sample reaction solutions with a flow cell, it is difficult to obtain the cell blank value (A ca ) of the flow cell, resulting in variations in the analytical values, and the accuracy of the analysis is poor. This is also a loss problem.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate variations in analytical values caused by attachment of interfering substances to the wall surface of a flow cell in an automatic chemical analyzer having a flow cell.

(d) Means for solving the problem The present invention provides the following features: 7a-Regardless of the attachment of interfering substances to the cell wall surface,
Automated chemical analysis 1fcli that can correct photometric values for a series of sample reaction solutions to avoid variations in analytical values! It provides:

The present invention provides a container for containing pure water or a reagent solution, a suction nozzle for the pure water or reagent solution that is removably installed in the container, and a sample that is installed in a reaction container that can be removably inserted into the container. An automatic chemical analyzer having a flow cell is characterized in that it includes a reaction liquid suction nozzle and a flow cell communicating with each of the suction nozzles.

In the present invention, the reagent solution means an analysis reagent solution or a buffer solution that does not contain any reaction components.

In the present invention, the pure water or reagent liquid suction nozzle can be provided in communication with the suction liquid inlet of the flow cell together with the sample reaction liquid suction nozzle. In this case, the pure water or reagent solution suction nozzle and the sample reaction liquid suction 7 Alternatively, the nozzles may be provided so as to be movable alternately between the reaction container and the pure water or reagent liquid storage container so that a single nozzle serves as both nozzles.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the suction nozzle for pure water or reagent liquid can be provided in communication with the outlet of the flow cell, unlike the suction nozzle for sample reaction liquid. In this case, the pure water or reagent liquid suction nozzle can be connected to the discharge channel from the flow cell via a liquid feeding pump or a channel switching valve.

(E) Function In the present invention, since the suction nozzle for pure water or reagent liquid and the suction nozzle for sample reaction liquid are provided in communication with the flow cell, for example, cell blank measurement liquid such as pure water, or for example analytical reagent Alternatively, a reagent blank measurement solution such as a buffer solution can be sent to the flow cell for photometry before and after the sample reaction solution is sent to the flow cell for photometry. Therefore, according to the present invention, a cell blank value or a reagent blank value during photometry can be determined before and after photometry of a sample reaction liquid. In this way, the present invention measures the cell blank value or reagent blank value before and after the photometry of the sample reaction solution, so that the cell blank value or the reagent blank value measured before and after the photometry of the sample reaction solution, respectively. The comparison is completed by correcting the photometric value of the sample reaction solution.

In this case, if the cell blank value or reagent blank value measured before photometry of the sample reaction solution is higher than the cell blank value or reagent blank value measured after measuring the sample reaction solution, the sample reaction There is a possibility that interfering substances attached to the cell wall surface were eluted into the sample reaction solution during photometry of the liquid. Once the interfering substances attached to the cell wall surface are eluted in this way,
Since it is diluted and causes fluctuations in absorbance, etc., it cannot be corrected using either the cell blank value or the reagent blank value before and after photometry of the sample reaction solution, and it will be sent for reanalysis.

In the present invention, the suction nozzle for pure water or reagent liquid can be connected to the suction liquid inlet of the flow cell together with the suction nozzle for sample reaction liquid, but in this case, the turntable in the discrete type automatic chemical analyzer Or, when the moving conveyor stops or moves intermittently, pure water or reagent liquid is sent from a suction nozzle for pure water or reagent liquid to the flow cell, and photometry is performed, and the cell blank value or reagent blank value at the time of photometry is determined. I can do it. However, when a suction nozzle for pure water or reagent liquid is provided in communication with the outlet of the flow cell, unlike a suction nozzle for sample reaction liquid, the pure water or reagent liquid sent to the flow cell is ,
Since the flow cell is discharged into the reaction vessel, it is performed while the reaction vessel is stopped, ie, when the intermittent movement of the turntable or moving conveyor is stopped.

In either case, in order to deliver pure water or reagent solution to the flow cell when the intermittent movement of the turntable or moving conveyor is stopped, use the stop period to feed the pure water or reagent solution to the flow cell during one of the periods. During the other period, the sample reaction solution is sent to the flow cell.

(F) Examples Hereinafter, examples of embodiments of the automatic chemical analyzer of the present invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited by this explanation.

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of the automatic chemical analyzer of the present invention, mainly showing the photometry section, and FIG.
FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram mainly showing a photometry section of another embodiment of the present invention different from FIG. 1;

Automatic chemical analyzer! 11 is provided with a reaction line 2, in which reaction tubes 3 are arranged.

The reaction line 2 is provided with a sample dispensing section, a reagent dispensing section (none of which is shown), a photometer n4, a washing and drying section (none of which is shown), etc.
The reaction line 2 and the reaction tube 3 move intermittently in the direction of the arrow,
Circulated and used repeatedly.

The photometry section 4 is provided at a distance commensurate with the reaction time from the reagent dispensing section. The photometry section 4 is equipped with a spectrophotometer in which a flow self is arranged between an optical system 5 including a light source and a photometry device 6 including a light sensor.The spectrophotometer includes an absorbance converter, an analog/ A known data processing device fl! that includes a digital (A/D) converter, a storage section, an arithmetic section, and a display output section! (not shown).

A known type of flow cell is used for the flow cell. A sample reaction liquid suction nozzle 10 is connected to the suction liquid inlet 8 of the flow self via a flow path 9. This suction nozzle moves up and down with respect to the reaction tube 3 sent to the photometry section 4, and is fitted with a nozzle holding device (not shown) so that the nozzle tip can be inserted into the reaction tube 3 and the suction operation can be started. )
is maintained. As this nozzle holding device, for example, one of the type used in an automatic chemical analyzer having a conventional flow cell is used.

The outlet 11 of the flow self is provided with a T-shaped channel 12 with its - channel 13 connected to the outlet 11. The other channel 14 of the T-shaped channel 12 has three connection ports. 15.1
The remaining one 19 is connected to a three-way valve 23 having three connections 20, 21 and 22.

Among these three-way valves, one of the three-way valves 18 has its connection port 16 connected to a reagent liquid suction nozzle 26 inserted into a reagent liquid container 25 via a flow path 24, and the remaining connection port 17 is connected to the suction and discharge passage 28 of the reciprocating pump 27. For the other three-way valve 23, the connection port 2
1 is connected to the drain flow path 29, and the remaining connection ports 22 are connected to the suction and discharge flow path 31 of the reciprocating pump 30.

Since this example is configured as described above, the sample is dispensed into the reaction tube 3 in the sample dispensing section, the reaction tube 3 containing the sample is sent to the reagent dispensing section, and the analytical reagent is dispensed. The reaction tube into which the 0 analysis reagent has been dispensed is sent to the photometry section 4 after a predetermined reaction time has elapsed.

When the reaction tube 3 stops at the photometry section 4, the suction nozzle 1
0 is lowered and inserted into the reaction tube 3, and the reciprocating pump 30
The piston 30' is moved to the suction side to suck in the sample reaction liquid and allow it to pass through the flow cell. When the sample reaction liquid passes through the flow cell, the sample reaction liquid is irradiated with light (indicated by a dotted line), and the absorbance of the analysis item component is measured by photometry 1&6. After completing the photometry for this analysis item component, the three-way valve 230, the rotor 23'
is rotated 180 degrees to the right to move the piston 30' to the discharge side, and the measured sample reaction liquid sucked into the reciprocating pump 30 is discharged from the drain passage 29. In this darkness, the rotor 18' of the other three-way valve 18 is rotated 180 degrees to the right, the piston 27' of the reciprocating pump 27 is moved to the discharge side, and the reagent liquid sucked into the reciprocating pump 27 is flow-controlled. from there into the reaction tube 3. When the reagent solution passes through the flow cell, the flow cell is irradiated with light and the reagent blank is photometered. These photometric data are sent to the data processing device, and the process moves to the reaction tube transfer process, where the reaction tube 3 is sent out from the photometry section 4, the subsequent reaction tube 3' is transferred to the photometry section 4, and the reaction tube 3 and the reaction tube 3 are transferred to the photometry section 4. Similarly, the sample reaction solution is flowed through the flow self for photometry, then the reagent solution is flowed through the flow self for photometry, and the subsequent reaction Ir! 3# is also photometered in the same way. These photometric data are sequentially sent to a data processing device, and the reagent blank values before and after are compared, and the photometric values of the sample reaction solution are corrected as appropriate.
Regarding analysis items, highly accurate analytical values can be obtained without the influence of variations due to interfering substances adhering to the flow cell wall surface.

In the embodiment shown in No. 21J, compared to the embodiment shown in FIG. They are different in that they are made to behave.

Therefore, the same reference numerals are given to corresponding parts such as reaction lines, reaction tubes, flow cells, etc.

In this example, the suction liquid inlet 8 of the flow self is connected to the flow path 3.
2, it is connected to a connection port 34 of a three-way valve 33.

The other passage 35 of the three-way valve 33 is connected via a flow path 37 to a pure water suction nozzle 39 inserted into a pure water container 38 . The remaining one path 36 of the three-way valve 33 is connected to the sample reaction liquid suction nozzle 10 via a flow path 40. three-way valve 3
3 can appropriately connect each connection port by rotating the rotor 33'. Flow self outlet 1
1 is connected to a check valve 42 via a flow path 41. The check valve 42 allows liquid flowing out from the flow self to pass through, but prevents flow in the opposite direction. The check valve 42 is connected on the other side to a drain passage 43 provided with a check valve (not shown) that flows in the direction of the arrow, and a suction and discharge flow is connected to the drain passage 43. Reciprocating pump 4 via channel 44
5 is connected.

Since this example is configured in this way, when the reaction tube 3 is sent to the photometry section 4 and stopped, the piston 45' of the reciprocating pump 45 moves in the suction direction! llJ Suse Pure Water Container 3
8. Flow pure water into the flow cell and photometer the cell blank. After photometry, the rotor 33' of the three-way valve 3 is rotated 180 degrees to the right, the sample reaction liquid is allowed to flow from the reaction tube 3 into the flow cell, and the absorbance of the new component in the sample reaction liquid is measured. For the subsequent reaction tubes 3', 3'', etc., photometry is similarly carried out for the analysis item components of the cell blank and the sample reaction solution, and these photometric data are sequentially processed by a data processing device W1 (not shown). ), the cell blank values before and after were compared, and the photometric values of the reaction solution were appropriately corrected. Similar to the previous example, analytical values with small variations were obtained in this example.

()) Effects of the Invention In the present invention, the suction nozzle for pure water or reagent liquid and the suction nozzle for sample reaction liquid are provided in communication with the 7o-cell. It is now possible to flow the reagent solution and the sample reaction solution alternately through the flow cell. Moreover, the alternating flow of pure water or reagent solution and sample reaction solution into this 7a-cell can be easily performed by simple operations such as using a flow path switching valve, so that during the period when the intermittent feeding of the reaction vessel is stopped, In addition, it has become possible to measure cell blanks or reagent blanks during photometry without delaying photometry of the sample reaction solution.

Furthermore, by performing photometry by flowing pure water or reagent solution alternately with the sample reaction solution through the flow cell, it is possible to avoid contamination of the flow cell, which was difficult with conventional devices, as well as to avoid contamination of the flow cell with the sample reaction solution. Since the elution can be ascertained, the photometric value of the sample reaction solution can be corrected more accurately, and the analysis value can be obtained with high precision, reducing the variation in the analysis value due to the flow cell.

Further, according to the present invention, since the degree of dirt on the flow cell can be accurately determined, it is possible to easily know when the flow cell should be cleaned without waste.

As described above, the automatic chemical analysis device of the present invention has many advantages over conventional devices, and has a significant influence on others.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure tjS1 is a schematic explanatory diagram mainly showing the photometric section of one embodiment of the automatic chemical analyzer of the present invention, and the second
This figure is a schematic explanatory diagram of another embodiment of the present invention, which is different from that shown in FIG. 1, mainly showing the photometric section. Regarding the symbols in the figure, 1 is an automatic chemical analyzer, 2 is a reaction line, 3, 3' and 3'' are reaction tubes, 4 is a photometer, and 5
1 is an optical system, 6 is a photometer, 7 is a flow cell, 8 is a suction liquid inlet, 10 is a sample reaction liquid suction nozzle, 11 is an outlet, 1
2 is a T-shaped flow path, 18° 23 and 33 are three-way valves, 18'
, 23' and 33 are rotors, 25 is a reagent liquid container, 2
G is a reagent liquid suction nozzle, 27.30 and 45 reciprocating pump, 27'. 30' and 45' are pistons, 28. 31 and 44 are suction/discharge channels, 29.43 are drain channels, 38 is a pure water container, 39 is a pure water suction nozzle, and 42 is a check valve. . Agent

Claims (1)

[Claims] A container containing pure water or reagent liquid, a suction nozzle for pure water or reagent liquid that is removably installed in the container, and a suction nozzle for sample reaction liquid that is removably installed in the reaction container. An automatic chemical analyzer having a flow cell, comprising a nozzle and a flow cell communicating with each of the suction nozzles.