KR20130107086A - Reagent container, microfluidic device, and analysis mehtod using thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A reagent storing container, a microflow device, and an analysis method using the same are provided to facilitate the detection of components by using a reagent contained in the reagent storing container of which reactivity is large. CONSTITUTION: A reagent storing container (180) installed inside a chamber includes a body unit and a plug valve. The body unit has a space in which a regent is stored. The plug valve control the opening of an opening formed on the body unit. The plug valve controls the opening of the body unit by a phase change.

Description

Reagent storage containers, microfluidic devices, and analytical methods using them {REAGENT CONTAINER, MICROFLUIDIC DEVICE, AND ANALYSIS MEHTOD USING THEREOF}

The present invention relates to a reagent storage container for receiving and discharging reagents, a microfluidic device, and an analysis method using the same.

The microfluidic device includes a plurality of chambers for containing a small amount of fluid, a valve for controlling the flow of fluid between the chambers, and various functional units for receiving the fluid and performing a designated function.

A lab on a chip is a microfluidic device installed in a small chip, and may perform various steps of reaction and manipulation on one chip. In particular, a lab on a disc using centrifugal force as the driving pressure for sample separation and fluid transfer is called a lab on a disc. Conventional lab-on-a-disc microfluidic devices generally consist of a configuration for detecting one target material in a sample.

In order to detect several target substances in a sample, different types of labeling factors are coated at designated positions on the surface, and after the reaction, the reaction positions are scanned to analyze the target substance, or barcodes, fluorescent particles, various An example of using a recognizable reaction medium such as a bead of a shape (eg, Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2010-0038007) is known. However, these types of microfluidic devices are inconvenient because they have complicated detection hardware or software and high analysis costs.

In addition, when a component is detected using a reagent having high reactivity, a substance constituting the reaction chamber reacts with the reagent, which makes it difficult to detect the component.

The present invention is to provide a reagent storage container that can easily analyze the components using a highly reactive reagent, and a microfluidic device using the same.

Reagent storage container according to an aspect of the present invention, in the reagent storage container installed in the chamber, comprising a body portion having a space for storing the reagent, and a stopper valve for controlling the opening of the opening formed in the body portion, the closure The valve controls the opening of the body part by phase change.

The body part has a tubular shape with openings formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction, and the stop valve may be fixed to both ends of the body part, and the stop valve may be melted by heat, light or electromagnetic energy to open the body part. You can.

The stopper valve may be made of wax, and the stopper valve may be made of gel or thermoplastic resin. In addition, the stopper valve may be made of a material containing light absorbing microparticles.

The reactivity of the body portion and the reagent may be made smaller than the reactivity of the material forming the chamber with the reagent, and the body portion may be made of glass or Teflon. In addition, the reagent may be composed of an oxidizing agent or a reducing agent.

The microfluidic device according to another aspect of the present invention is a phase transition and body transition having a plate-like platform having a plurality of chambers, a valve for controlling communication of the chambers, and a space installed inside the chamber and storing a reagent. and a reagent reservoir having a stopper valve for controlling the opening of the opening formed in the body portion by phase change.

The body part has a tubular shape with openings formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction, and the stop valve may be fixedly installed at both ends of the body part, and the stop valve may be melted by heat, light, or electromagnetic energy to disassemble the body part. Can be opened.

The stopper valve may be made of wax, and the stopper valve may be made of gel or thermoplastic resin.

The stopper valve may be made of a material containing light absorbing microparticles, and the reactivity of the body portion and the reagent contained in the body portion may be smaller than the reactivity of the material forming the chamber and the reagent contained in the body portion. Can be.

The body portion may be made of glass or teflon, and the reagent contained in the body portion may be made of an oxidizing agent or a reducing agent.

The platform is provided with a sample injection chamber, a metering chamber disposed farther from the center of rotation of the platform than the sample injection chamber, and an intermediate reaction chamber disposed farther from the center of rotation of the platform than the metering chamber. The reagent reservoir may be installed in the reaction chamber.

A plurality of protrusions for separating particulate impurities may be formed on a side located at the outermost side in the radial direction of the sample injection chamber, and the intermediate reaction chamber has a subchamber disposed closer to the center of rotation of the platform than the intermediate reaction chamber. Connection can be installed.

The platform may be formed in a rotatable disk shape, the platform may be connected to the motor for rotating the platform.

In addition, the valve may be phased by heat, light, or electromagnetic energy to control communication between the chambers.

Analysis method according to another aspect of the present invention is a method for analyzing by using a microfluidic device having a platform and a plurality of chambers formed in the platform, the phase of the stopper valve of the reagent storage container installed in the intermediate reaction chamber formed on the platform A discharge step of discharging the reagent contained in the reagent storage container, a transfer step of transferring the sample from the intermediate reaction chamber to the analysis chamber, and an analysis step of analyzing a component of the sample in the analysis chamber using a spectroscope.

The discharging step may discharge the reagent by melting the stopper valve by heat, light or electromagnetic energy, and the discharging step discharges the reagent by irradiating a laser to the stopper valve, and in the intermediate reaction chamber by using a spectroscope. The irradiation of the laser can be controlled by measuring the color change of the sample. Also, the discharging step may include transferring the reagent contained in the subchamber to the intermediate reaction chamber.

The transferring step may rotate the platform to transfer the sample by centrifugal force, further comprising transferring the sample from the sample injection chamber to the plurality of metering chambers, and transferring the sample from the metering chamber to the intermediate reaction chamber. And transferring the sample to the metering chambers may include inserting and separating particulate impurities between the plurality of protrusions formed in the sample injection chamber.

The microfluidic device of the present embodiment can easily detect components by using highly reactive reagents using a reagent storage container.

1 is a schematic diagram of a component analysis device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of the microfluidic device shown in FIG. 1.
3 is a perspective view of a reagent storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the reagent storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a view showing a process of discharging the reagent from the reagent storage container.
Figure 6a is a photograph showing the state before opening the reagent storage container, Figure 6b is a photograph showing the state after opening the reagent storage container.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art may easily implement the present invention. The present invention may be embodied in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

1 is a schematic diagram of a component analysis device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the component analyzer 200 of one embodiment includes a micro flow apparatus 100 formed of a rotatable plate shape, a motor 231 for rotating the micro flow apparatus 100, and a laser to the micro flow apparatus 100. It includes a laser irradiation unit 213 for irradiating the light source 232 for irradiating light to the microfluidic device 100 for analysis, and a spectrometer 234 for analyzing the light passed through the microfluidic device 100.

The microfluidic device 100 includes a platform 170 having a plurality of chambers for receiving fluid, a valve for controlling communication of the chambers, and a reagent reservoir 180 installed in the chamber.

In addition, the component analyzer 200 may further include a camera 211 and the strobe light 215 for monitoring. The component analyzing apparatus includes a motor 231, a laser irradiation unit 213, and a controller 212 for controlling the camera 211.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of the microfluidic device shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, the platform 170 has a center of rotation O1 and may be formed, for example, in a rotatable disk shape. The platform 170 is a plastic material that can be easily molded, for example, polystyrene (PS), polydimethylsiloxane (PMDS), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polyacrylates ), Polycarbonates, polycyclic olefins, polyimides, polyurethanes, and the like. In addition, the platform 170 is made of a material having chemical and biological stability and optical transparency.

The platform 170 is divided into a plurality of regions, and each region is provided with a microfluidic structure 110 that operates independently. Accordingly, a plurality of microfluidic structures 110 may be provided on the platform 170 to analyze a plurality of samples using one platform 170.

The microfluidic structure 110 includes a sample injection chamber 160, metering chambers 112 and 131, and analysis chambers 116 and 134. Each chamber is connected through a channel, and the channel is provided with a valve for opening and closing the channel. However, the present invention is not limited in any way, and the chambers may be directly connected without a channel.

The platform 170 is formed of a disc having a diameter of 12 cm, the platform 170 is formed with four or more microfluidic structure (110).

In this embodiment, the valve controls the communication of the chamber by phase change. The valve may be made of a material that can be changed into a liquid phase by heat, light or electromagnetic energy. In particular, the valve may be made of a phase change material that is solid at room temperature. The valve may be made of wax, which is a phase change material, and the wax melts when heated to turn into a liquid state and expands in volume. As the wax, for example, paraffin wax, microcrystalline wax, synthetic wax, natural wax, or the like may be employed.

The phase change material may be a gel or a thermoplastic resin. As the gel, polyacrylamide, polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, polyvinylamides, or the like may be employed.

The sample injection chamber 160 is a chamber located closest to the rotation center O1 of the platform 170. The sample injection chamber 160 has a plurality of protrusions 162 formed on the inner side of the platform 170 which is located at the outermost side with respect to the radial direction of the platform 170. The protrusions 162 serve to separate the particulate impurities included in the sample, and are formed on the side of the sample injection chamber 160 located at the outermost side in the radial direction. As the platform 170 rotates, relatively heavy particulate impurities are pushed out by centrifugal force and trapped between the protrusions 162. At this time, the rotation speed for the purification of the sample may vary depending on the size and density of particulate impurities contained in the sample.

The sample injection chamber 160 is connected to the metering chambers 112 and 131 and the waste chamber 163 through the channel 164. The metering chambers 112, 131 and the waste chamber 163 are located farther from the center of rotation O1 of the platform 170 than the sample injection chamber 160. The valve V1 is installed in the channel communicating with the sample injection chamber 160.

The microfluidic structure 110 according to the present embodiment has two metering chambers 112 and 131 to detect two components. The metering chambers 112 and 131 serve to divide the sample by the required amount. The waste chamber 163 fills the metering chambers 112 and 131 and accommodates the remaining sample so that it is no longer introduced into the metering chambers 112 and 131.

The first metering chamber 112 is a chamber for dividing a sample. A first intermediate reaction chamber 114 is connected to the first metering chamber 112, and a first final reaction chamber is connected to the first intermediate reaction chamber 114. 115 is connected and installed. In addition, a first analysis chamber 116 is connected to the first final reaction chamber 115. Between the first metering chamber 112 and the first intermediate reaction chamber 114, between the first intermediate reaction chamber 114 and the first final reaction chamber 115, and the first final reaction chamber 115 and the first analysis Valves V2, V3, and V4 are provided between the chambers 116, respectively.

The first metering chamber 112, the first intermediate reaction chamber 114, the first final reaction chamber 115, and the first analysis chamber 116 are sequentially installed from the center of rotation O1 of the platform.

In the first intermediate reaction chamber 114, a reagent storage container 180 containing an oxidizing agent for oxidizing a sample is installed, and the oxidizing agent may be made of bromine water. In the present exemplary embodiment, the reagent storage container 180 is illustrated as having an oxidizing agent. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the reducing agent may be accommodated in the reagent storage container 180.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a reagent storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 is a longitudinal section showing a reagent storage container according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the reagent container 180 is a stopper valve for controlling the opening of the opening formed in the body portion 181 and the body portion 181 having a space (181a) for storing the reagent ( 182, 183). The body portion 181 may be formed in a circular tubular shape with openings at both ends in the longitudinal direction, and the stop valves 182 and 183 are fixedly installed at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the body portion 181. Here, the stop valves 182 and 183 are melted by heat, light or electromagnetic energy to control the opening of the body 181. For this purpose, the stop valves 182 and 183 may be controlled by heat, light or electromagnetic energy. It consists of a material that can be melted into a liquid phase.

In particular, the stopper valves 182 and 183 may be made of a phase change material that is solid at room temperature. The stopper valves 182 and 183 may be made of wax, which is a phase change material, and when the wax is heated, the wax turns into a liquid state and expands in volume. As the wax, for example, paraffin wax, microcrystalline wax, synthetic wax, natural wax, or the like may be employed.

The phase change material may be a gel or a thermoplastic resin. As the gel, polyacrylamide, polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, polyvinylamides, or the like may be employed.

In particular, the stopper valves 182 and 183 may be made of a material containing light absorbing microparticles in paraffin wax, wherein the light absorbing microparticles may be made of iron oxide nanoparticles.

Since the body 181 is made of a material having a very low reactivity, the reagent storage container 180 according to the present embodiment is used for storing a highly reactive oxidizing agent or reducing agent such as bromine water. The body 181 according to the present embodiment may be made of glass or Teflon, and the material forming the chamber may be made of polycarbonate.

The reactivity of the body 181 and the reagent 185 is smaller than the reactivity of the reagent 185 and the material forming the chamber. As a result, it is possible not only to stably store highly reactive materials but also to reduce the cost of platform production by eliminating the need to form a disposable platform with expensive materials even when analyzing samples using highly reactive materials. .

In addition, the subchamber 113 is connected to the first intermediate reaction chamber 114, and the reprocessing solution for reprocessing the sample processed in the first intermediate reaction chamber 114 is accommodated in the subchamber 113. At this time, the reprocessing solution may be a phenol solution. The subchamber 113 is located closer to the center of rotation O1 of the platform 170 than the first intermediate reaction chamber 114 and has a valve V5 between the subchamber 113 and the first intermediate reaction chamber 114. Is installed. Accordingly, when the valve V5 is opened, the solution contained in the subchamber 113 may be transferred to the first intermediate reaction chamber 114 using centrifugal force.

As described above, according to the present exemplary embodiment, the sub chamber 113 may be provided to intermediately process the sample processed in the first intermediate reaction chamber 114 to change desired characteristics such as color of the sample.

The first final reaction chamber 115 contains a material for processing a sample processed in the first intermediate reaction chamber 114. For example, the first final reaction chamber 115 may contain a reagent including cadmium particles for reducing nitrate to nitrite, and the first analysis chamber 116 may contain nitrite as sulfanilic acid. And reagents containing chromotropic acid can be accommodated.

The second metering chamber 131 is a chamber for dividing a sample. A second intermediate reaction chamber 132 is connected to the second metering chamber 131, and a second final reaction chamber is installed in the second intermediate reaction chamber 132. 133 is connected and installed. In addition, a second analysis chamber 134 is connected to the second final reaction chamber 133. Between the second metering chamber 131 and the second intermediate reaction chamber 132, between the second intermediate reaction chamber 132 and the second final reaction chamber 133, and the second final reaction chamber 133 and the second analysis Valves V6, V7, and V8 are provided between the chambers 132, respectively.

In the second intermediate reaction chamber 132, a reagent container 180 containing an oxidant for oxidizing a sample is installed.

In the second final reaction chamber 133, a material for processing a sample processed in the second intermediate reaction chamber 132 is accommodated, and the second analysis chamber contains a material for finally processing the sample to change to a desired color. have.

An analysis method according to an embodiment of the present invention is to discharge the reagent contained in the reagent storage container 180 by the phase change of the stopper valve of the reagent storage container 180 inserted into the first intermediate reaction chamber 114; A transfer step of transferring a sample from the first intermediate reaction chamber 114 to the first analysis chamber 116 and an analysis step of analyzing the components using the spectroscope 234.

As shown in FIG. 5, the discharging step heats the stopper valve 182 of the reagent reservoir 180 inserted into the first intermediate reaction chamber 114 to discharge the oxidant contained in the reagent reservoir 180. Here, the stopper valve may be heated by heat, light, or electromagnetic energy. When the stopper valve is melted, the reagent contained in the reagent storage container may be discharged into the chamber.

Bromine water is applied as the oxidant, and the stopper valve 182 is irradiated with a laser until the color of the sample of the first intermediate reaction chamber 114 changes. Bromine water serves to oxidize the nitrite contained in the reagent to nitrate. When all the nitrite is oxidized to nitrate, the color of the sample turns yellow. When the color of the sample is changed to yellow in the first intermediate reaction chamber 114 using the spectroscope 234, the control unit 212 stops the irradiation of the laser so that the laser irradiation may be automatically controlled. When the laser irradiation is stopped, the stopper valve 182 is solidified again and the reagent reservoir is closed to stop the discharge of bromine water.

Figure 6a is a photograph showing the state before opening the reagent storage container, Figure 6b is a photograph showing the state after opening the reagent storage container. As shown in Figure 6a and 6b it can be seen that the color of the sample turned yellow by the discharge of the oxidant.

In the discharging step, when the laser irradiation is stopped, the platform 170 is rotated to mix the sample contained in the first intermediate reaction chamber 114.

The discharging step may further include opening the valve V5 to transfer the phenol reagent contained in the subchamber 113 to the first intermediate reaction chamber 114. In this embodiment, since the amount of the substance is analyzed through the color of the sample, it is necessary to change the color of the sample to yellow. The phenol reagent is used to change the sample contained in the first intermediate reaction chamber 114 to colorlessness. Here, the movement of the reagent stored in the subchamber 113 is made by centrifugal force by the rotation of the platform 170.

In addition, the discharging step may further include transferring a sample stored in the second metering chamber 131 to the second intermediate reaction chamber 132. In the discharging step, the movement of the sample is simultaneously performed by centrifugal force by the rotation of the platform 170.

The transferring step includes transferring the sample from the first intermediate reaction chamber 114 to the first final reaction chamber 115 and transferring the sample from the first final reaction chamber 115 to the first analysis chamber 116. Include.

In the step of transferring the sample to the first final reaction chamber 115, the nitrate is reduced to nitrite using cadmium particles contained in the first final reaction chamber 115. In addition, transferring the sample to the first final reaction chamber 115 includes transferring the sample from the second intermediate reaction chamber 132 to the second final reaction chamber 133. In the step 1 of transferring the sample to the formulation 1 final reaction chamber 115, the movement of the sample is simultaneously performed by the rotation of the platform 170.

Also, transferring the sample to the first analysis chamber 116 may include transferring the sample from the second final reaction chamber 133 to the second analysis chamber 134. In the step of transferring the sample to the first analysis chamber 116, the movement of the sample is simultaneously performed by the rotation of the platform 170.

The analysis step detects the components according to the color of the sample using a light source and a spectroscope. In this case, when the concentration of the analyte is high, the absorbance also increases in proportion to the concentration of the analyte.

In addition, the analysis method according to the present embodiment transfers the sample contained in the sample injection chamber 160 to the plurality of metering chambers (112, 131), and the first intermediate reaction chamber (1) in the first metering chamber (112) 114) may further comprise the step of transferring the sample.

In the step of transferring the sample to the metering chambers 112 and 131, the valve V1 installed in the channel connected to the sample injection chamber 160 is melted in the liquid phase, and then the platform 170 is rotated to collect a plurality of samples by centrifugal force. To the metering chambers 112 and 131. The remaining sample after filling the metering chambers 112 and 131 is moved to the waste chamber 163 in communication with the sample injection chamber 160. In this embodiment, the sample is injected into the two metering chambers 112 and 131, respectively.

In addition, transferring the sample to the metering chambers 112 and 131 may further include inserting and separating particulate impurities between the plurality of protrusions 162 formed in the sample injection chamber 160.

In the step of transferring the sample to the first intermediate reaction chamber 114, the valve V2 is opened to transfer the sample from the first metering chamber 112 to the first intermediate reaction chamber 114.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, Of course.

200: water quality analyzer 100: microfluidic device
110: microfluidic structure 211: camera
212: control unit 213: laser irradiation unit
215: strobe light 231: motor
232: light source 234: spectrometer
112: first metering chamber 113: subchamber
114: first intermediate reaction chamber 115: first final reaction chamber
116: first analysis chamber 131: second metering chamber
132: second analysis chamber 132: second intermediate reaction chamber
133: second final reaction chamber 134: second analysis chamber
160: sample injection chamber 162: projection
163: waste chamber 170: platform
180: reagent container 181: body portion
181a: space 182, 183: stopper valve
185: Reagent 200: Component Analysis Device
211: camera 212: control unit
213: laser irradiation unit 215: strobe light
231: motor 232: light source
234: spectrometer

Claims (30)

In the reagent reservoir installed in the chamber,
A body portion having a space in which a reagent is stored; And
A stopper valve for controlling the opening of the opening formed in the body portion;
Lt; / RTI >
The stopper valve is a reagent container for controlling the opening of the body portion by a phase change (phase change). The method of claim 1,
The body portion has a tubular shape with openings formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction, and the stopper valve is fixed to both ends of the body portion is installed reagent container. The method of claim 1,
The stopper valve is a reagent container for melting by heat, light or electromagnetic energy to open the body portion. The method of claim 3,
The stopper valve is a reagent container consisting of wax. The method of claim 3,
The stopper valve is a reagent container consisting of a gel or a thermoplastic resin. The method according to claim 4 or 5,
The stopper valve is a reagent container consisting of a material containing light absorbing microparticles. The method of claim 1,
Reagent storage of the body portion and the reagent is smaller than the reactivity of the reagent and the material forming the chamber. The method of claim 7, wherein
The body portion is a reagent container consisting of glass or Teflon. The method of claim 7, wherein
The reagent storage container consisting of an oxidizing agent or a reducing agent. A plate-like platform having a plurality of chambers;
A valve controlling communication of the chambers; And
A reagent storage container installed inside the chamber, the reagent storage container having a body portion having a space in which the reagent is stored and a stop valve controlling an opening of the opening formed in the body portion by a phase change;
Microfluidic device comprising a. The method of claim 10,
The body portion has a tubular shape with openings formed at both ends in the longitudinal direction, and the stopper valve is fixed to both ends of the body portion is fine flow apparatus. The method of claim 10,
The stopper valve is a microfluidic device that is melted by heat, light or electromagnetic wave energy to open the body part. The method of claim 12,
The stopper valve is a fine flow device made of wax. The method of claim 12,
The stopper valve is a fine flow device made of a gel or a thermoplastic resin. The method of claim 13,
The stopper valve is a microfluidic device made of a material containing light absorbing microparticles. The method of claim 10,
And the reactivity of the body portion and the reagent contained in the body portion is smaller than the reactivity of the material forming the chamber and the reagent contained in the body portion. 17. The method of claim 16,
The body portion microfluidic device made of glass or Teflon. 17. The method of claim 16,
The reagent contained in the body portion is a microfluidic device consisting of an oxidizing agent or a reducing agent. The method of claim 10,
The platform includes a sample injection chamber, a metering chamber disposed farther from the center of rotation of the platform than the sample injection chamber, and
An intermediate reaction chamber formed farther from the center of rotation of the platform than the metering chamber,
The microfluidic device in which the reagent reservoir is installed in the intermediate reaction chamber. 20. The method of claim 19,
And a plurality of protrusions for separating particulate impurities from a side of the sample injection chamber at the outermost side in the radial direction. 20. The method of claim 19,
And the sub-chamber connected to the intermediate reaction chamber closer to the center of rotation of the platform than the intermediate reaction chamber. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 21,
The platform is a microfluidic device made of a rotatable disk shape. The method of claim 22,
The platform is a microfluidic device connected to the motor for rotating the platform. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 21,
The valve is phase change by heat, light, or electromagnetic energy to control the communication of the chambers. In the analysis method using a microfluidic device having a platform and a plurality of chambers formed inside the platform,
Discharging the stopper valve of the reagent storage container installed in the intermediate reaction chamber formed in the platform to discharge the reagent contained in the reagent storage container;
A transfer step of transferring a sample from the intermediate reaction chamber to the analysis chamber; And
An analysis step of analyzing a component of the sample in the analysis chamber using a spectroscope;
Analysis method comprising a. 26. The method of claim 25,
The discharging step is an analysis method for discharging the reagent by melting the plug valve by heat, light or electromagnetic energy. The method of claim 26,
In the discharging step, the stopper valve is irradiated with laser to discharge the reagent, and the spectrometer measures the color change of the sample in the intermediate reaction chamber to control the irradiation of the laser. 26. The method of claim 25,
The evacuating step includes transferring the reagent contained in the subchamber to the intermediate reaction chamber. 26. The method of claim 25,
The transferring step is to rotate the platform to transfer the sample by centrifugal force. 26. The method of claim 25,
And transferring the sample from the sample injection chamber to the plurality of metering chambers, and transferring the sample from the metering chamber to the intermediate reaction chamber, wherein transferring the sample to the metering chambers comprises: An analysis method comprising the step of separating by inserting particulate impurities between the formed plurality of projections.

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