Apparatus for liquid sample handling
There is provided according to the invention an apparatus for liquid sample handling which comprises: (a) a plurality of hollow capillaries, each being open at both ends and of defined internal volume, wherein on contact of an open end of a capillary with a sample, said defined volume of sample is drawn up into the capillary by capillary action; (b) a housing which retains the capillaries in their desired orientation; and (c) means to effect sample removal from the capillaries; and processes employing said apparatus.
1 . An apparatus for liquid sample handling which comprises:
(a) a plurality of hollow capillaries, each being open at both ends and of defined internal volume, wherein on contact of an open end of a capillary with a sample, said defined volume of sample is drawn up into the capillary by capillary action;
(b) a housing which retains the capillaries in their desired orientation; and
(c) means to effect sample removal from the capillaries.
2 . An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the capillaries are arranged in a regular orientation within the housing.
3 . An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the capillaries are arranged in a row.
4 . An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the capillaries are arranged in a 2-dimentional array.
5 . An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means to effect sample removal is means to apply differential pressure between the ends of the capillaries.
6 . An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the means to apply differential pressure between the ends of the capillaries is means to apply pressure to one end of the capillaries.
7 . An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means to effect sample removal is means to simultaneously remove sample from a plurality of capillaries.
8 . An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the means to apply pressure to one end of the capillaries comprises means to supply pressurised gas into an enclosed cavity formed around one end of a plurality of capillaries.
9 . An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the enclosed cavity is formed by the housing.
10 . An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the cavity formed by the housing is formed from two pressure sealed separable portions: one portion retaining the capillaries and one portion provided with means to supply pressurised gas to the cavity.
11 . An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the enclosed cavity formed around one end of the capillaries also acts as a reservoir for a liquid.
12 . An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the capillaries are made of glass or quartz.
13 . An apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the capillaries are made of synthetically fused silica.
14 . An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the capillaries are coated or surface treated.
15 . An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the capillaries are coated or surface treated on their outer surface.
16 . An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the coating or surface treatment involves coating or treating with a non-wetting agent.
17 . An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the non-wetting agent is a coating of polyimide.
18 . An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the capillaries are modified such that one of their ends is sharp and pointed or otherwise adapted to enable the capillaries to perform a piercing function when they make contact with a surface, prior to sample removal.
19 . An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the internal volume of each capillary is between 50 nl and 1 μl.
20 . An apparatus according to claim 19 wherein the internal volume of each capillary is between 50 nl and 250 nl.
21 . An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the capillaries within the housing are not all of the same length.
22 . An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein one or more capillaries may be moved along a vertical axis within the housing.
23 . An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein one or more capillaries may be reformatted within the plurality by altering the position of the capillaries within the housing, once filled with sample.
24 . An apparatus for liquid sample handling which comprises
(a) a plurality of hollow translucent capillaries, each being open at both ends and of defined internal volume, wherein on contact of an open end of a capillary with a sample, said defined volume of sample is drawn up into the capillary by capillary action;
(e) a housing which retains the capillaries in their desired orientation;
(f) means to provide each capillary with photonic isolation from a neighbouring capillary;
(g) optical instrumentation and circuitry adapted to read a photonic response or event in each capillary; and
(e) means to effect sample removal from the capillaries.
25 . A process for liquid sample transfer using an apparatus according to claim 1 which comprises:
(a) contacting the lower open end of the capillaries with the liquid to be transferred;
(b) uptake of liquid into the capillaries by capillary action; and
(c) effective removal of the liquid sample in each capillary into the receptacle to which it is to be transferred.
26 . A process according to claim 25 wherein the effective removal of the sample is achieved by application of a pressure to the end of the capillaries.
27 . A process for multiple liquid sample transfer using an apparatus according to claim 1 which comprises:
(a) contacting the lower open end of the capillaries with the first liquid to be transferred;
(b) uptake of liquid into the capillaries by capillary action;
(c) effective removal of the liquid sample in each capillary into the receptacle to which it is to be transferred;
(d) contacting lower open end of capillaries with rinsing liquid;
(e) uptake of rinsing liquid into the capillaries by capillary action;
(f) effective removal of the rinsing liquid in each capillary into a suitable waste receptacle;
(g) if desired, repetition of steps (d) to (f) one or more times;
(h) contacting the lower open end of the capillaries with a further liquid to be transferred;
(i) uptake of the further liquid sample into the capillaries by capillary action; and
(j) effective removal of the further liquid sample in each capillary into the receptacle to which it is to be transferred.
28 . A process according to claim 27 which further comprises the step (k) of repeating steps (d) to (j) one or more times.
29 . An apparatus for liquid sample handling which comprises:
(a) a plurality of hollow capillaries, each being open at both ends and of defined internal volume, wherein on contact of an open end of a capillary with a sample, said defined volume of sample is drawn up into the capillary by capillary action; and
(b) a housing which retains the capillaries in their desired orientation.