DISPOSABLE, RAPID EXTRACTION APPARATUS AND METHODS

1 . An extraction apparatus comprising:

a filtration vessel that has at least one receiving end and that comprises a membrane filter adapted to bind a structure of interest thereto, wherein the membrane filter is disposed at least substantially across a width of the filtration vessel and at least partially therein;

a volume-dispensing mechanism adapted to controllably dispense and forcibly inject an amount of liquid operably associated with the filtration vessel to filter the liquid therethrough; and

a collection container adapted to receive the filtered liquid.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the structure of interest is a nucleic acid.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising an aerosol-resistant barrier disposed on at least one side of the membrane filter.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a flow valve positioned between the volume-dispensing mechanism and the filtration vessel or within the filtration vessel to limit fluid flow to one direction.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a substantially leak-free connector positioned between the volume-dispensing mechanism and the membrane filter.

6 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the membrane filter comprises a polymer-based or silica-based matrix.

7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the matrix comprises silica fiber; silica gel; silica resin; silica-cellulose; silica dioxide; an ion-exchange resin; borosilicate; glass; or diatomaceous earth, or a combination or a blend thereof.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the ion-exchange resin comprises a polymer comprising diethylaminoethyl-, quaternary aminoethyl- or quaternary ammonium-groups.

9 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the filtration vessel comprises polyethylene, linear polyethylene, low density polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polycarbonate, endotoxin-free or pyrogen-free plastic, or a combination or a blend thereof.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the liquid dispensing mechanism comprises a piston pump, syringe, pipette, micropipette, bulb, or dropper.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the membrane filter is restricted from movement by a tether comprising at least one gasket, O-ring, indentation of an opposing inner surface of the filtration vessel, adhesive, or a frit, or a combination thereof.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the collection container releasably attaches at an end of the filtration vessel.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a replaceable cartridge that holds the amount of liquid operably associated with the volume dispensing mechanism and the filtration vessel.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the replaceable cartridge is adjacent a flow path from the volume dispensing mechanism to the filtration vessel.

13 . A method for extracting a structure of interest from a liquid, which comprises:

preparing a sample suspected of containing a structure of interest for passage through a filtration zone; and

dispensing a portion of the prepared sample through a filtration zone by applying and controlling injection pressure applied to the sample.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising washing the filtration zone to remove one or more impurities therefrom.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising eluting at least a portion of the structure of interest from the filtration zone; and collecting the portion of the structure of interest in a collection zone.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the sample is a biological sample comprising blood, plasma, cell, tissue, or serum, or any combination thereof.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the structure of interest is a nucleic acid.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein at least a portion of the sample is dispensed through the filtration zone at least twice prior to the washing and eluting.

21 . The method of claim 19 , which further comprises sterilizing the collection zone after collecting the eluted second portion of the nucleic acid.

22 . The method of claim 19 , which further comprises preparing the sample for dispensing by first associating the sample with a composition comprising one or more:

chaotropes, detergents, reducing agents, chelators, buffers, or a combination thereof.

23 . The method of claim 19 , wherein preparing the sample includes lysing the sample suspected of containing the nucleic acid.

24 . The method of claim 19 , which further comprises washing the filtration zone at least twice before eluting the second portion of the nucleic acid therefrom.

25 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the eluting comprises applying TE buffer, water, tricine, bicine, or Tris-HC 1 , or a combination thereof.

26 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the extracting is performed at temperatures from about 10° C. to about 40° C.

27 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the extracting is performed within up to about 1 to 10 minutes of placing the sample in the filtration zone.

28 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising detecting or characterizing the nucleic acid.

29 . The method of claim 15 wherein the portion of the prepared sample is a pre-calibrated unit amount thereof.

30 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the prepared sample is disposed in a replaceable dispensing zone that is fluidly connected between a dispensing mechanism and the collection zone.

31 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the dispensing comprises operating a plunger to pressurize the prepared sample.

32 . A field extraction kit, in suitable container device, comprising:

(a) the extraction apparatus of claim 1 ;

(b) a collection device to collect one or more samples; and

(b) self-contained reagents comprising one or more: chaotropes, detergents, reducing agents, chelators, buffers, or a combination thereof.

33 . A set of instructions to carry out the method of claim 13 associated with the extraction apparatus operably associated therewith.