METHODS, SYSTEMS AND DEVICES FOR ANALYZING A SURFACTANT-TREATED BIOLOGICAL FLUID SAMPLE

• US 20110076775A1
• Filed: 05/20/2009
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cantimer, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cantimer, Inc.
• Inventors: Dickerman-Stewart, Aarpm, Mak, Nathan, Morton, Kathryn M., Stewart, Ray F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,349,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/71
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/545 Synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/144444 Glucose
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/147777 Plural nitrogen in the same ring [e.g., barbituates, creatinine, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/17 Nitrogen containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/171538 Urea or blood urea nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/201666 Carboxylic acid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/204998 Inorganic carbon compounds

Abstract

Devices, methods and systems effective to evaluate a physical or chemical property of a surfactant-treated biological fluid sample are provided.

Claims

1. A method for measuring a physical or chemical property of a biological fluid sample, comprising:

treating a biological fluid sample with an anionic surfactant;

contacting the anionic surfactant-treated biological fluid sample with a sensor comprising a hydrogel responsive by a change in a physical or chemical property to the biological fluid sample;

evaluating a change in said physical or chemical property of said hydrogel in response to contact with said anionic surfactant-treated biological fluid sample; and

correlating the change in said sensor with a physical or chemical property of said biological fluid sample.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said biological fluid is selected from the group consisting of saliva, whole blood, plasma, serum, tear fluid, lymph, synovial fluid, urine, sputum, semen, vaginal lavage, bone marrow and cerebrospinal cord fluid.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said biological fluid is saliva.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the change in said physical or chemical property of said hydrogel is a change in volume, a change in optical density, a change in refractive index or a change in AC conductivity.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said hydrogel is a cross-linked hydrogel having a net negative charge.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said hydrogel is a cross-linked hydrogel comprised of a hydroxyalkyl acrylate, a hydroxyalkyl methacrylate, a vinyl ether, or a vinyl pyrrolidone.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said hydrogel comprises an anionic moiety selected from a carboxylate group, a sulfate group, a sulfonate group and a phosphate group.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said anionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of a fatty acid salt, an alkyl or alkyl aryl sulfate, sulfonate or sulfonic acid, a sulfoacetate, an alkyl or alkyl aryl phosphate, phosphate esters, dioctyl sulfosuccinates, alkyldiphenyloxide disulfonate salts, a sulfosuccinate, a lactylate, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and dodecylbenzene sulfate (DBS).

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the final concentration of said anionic surfactant is from about 0.01% to about 0.25%.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the final concentration of said anionic surfactant is from about 0.02% to about 0.15%.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein said anionic surfactant is SDS and the final concentration is 0.03% to about 0.1%.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein said anionic surfactant has a critical micelle concentration in water selected from the group consisting of less than 1%, less than 0.5% and less than 0.1%.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein said SDS has less than 1% (w/w) of non surfactant impurities.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the physical or chemical property of said biological fluid sample is a physical property selected from the group consisting of absorption at a given wavelength, density, electric conductivity, pH, osmolality, osmolarity, thermal transfer, viscosity, dielectric constant, refractive index and light scattering.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said physical property is osmolality.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein said physical or chemical property of said biological fluid sample is a chemical property selected from the group consisting of the concentration of glucose, creatinine, urea, cortisol, total protein, total electrolytes, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, a cation, e.g., sodium (Na⁺);

calcium (Ca²⁺);

potassium (K⁺), or magnesium (Mg²⁺);

an anion, e.g., chloride (Cl⁻

);

fluoride (Fl);

bromide (Br);

sulfate (SO₄²⁻

);

nitrate (NO₃⁻

);

carbonate (CO₃²⁻

); and

bicarbonate (HCO₃⁻

).

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein said evaluating comprises monitoring said hydrogel for a decrease in volume to detect a saliva osmolality.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein said evaluating comprises monitoring the hydrogel for an increase in hydrogel volume to detect saliva osmolality.

19. A hydrogel sensor system for measuring a physical or chemical property of a biological fluid sample, comprising:

a cartridge for collecting and treating a biological fluid sample, said cartridge comprising a vessel defining an interior space having side walls, a bottom and a openable lid, said vessel containing an anionic surfactant, wherein said vessel traps said biological fluid sample for mixing with said anionic surfactant and is adapted for attachment to a device comprising a hydrogel sensor effective to measure a physical or chemical property of said biological fluid.

23. A device for collecting a biological fluid sample from a subject and measuring a physical or chemical property of said fluid, comprising:

(a) a movable microcantilever sensor having a known resistance corresponding to an initial position of the tip of said microcantilever;

(b) a hydrogel secured to a rigid substance and positioned against said microcantilever, wherein the change in a physical property of said hydrogel deflects said microcantilever resulting in a change in resistance;

(c) a hydrogel sensor system according to any one of claims 19-22 adapted to place an anionic surfactant-treated biological fluid sample in contact with said hydrogel; and

(d) a signaling component which creates a detectable signal in response to movement of the microcantilever.

24. The device according to claim 23, wherein said sensor is disposable.

20. A hydrogel sensor system for measuring a physical or chemical property of a biological fluid sample, comprising:

a disposable cartridge for collecting and treating said biological fluid sample, comprising a vessel defining an interior space having side walls, a bottom and an openable lid, said vessel containing an anionic surfactant and adapted to receive a biological fluid sample, said vessel having an aperture that is selectively opened or closed such that in the closed position the vessel retains the biological fluid sample and in the opened position the vessel allows the biological fluid sample to leave the vessel, wherein said cartridge is adapted for attachment to a device comprising a hydrogel sensor effective to measure a physical or chemical property of said biological fluid.

21. A hydrogel sensor system for measuring a physical or chemical property of a biological fluid sample having a disposable cartridge for collecting and treating a biological fluid sample, said disposable cartridge comprising:

(a) a first compartment for collecting and storing said biological fluid sample defining an interior space having side walls, a bottom and a openable lid;

(b) a second compartment containing an anionic surfactant and adapted to receive said biological fluid sample from said first compartment, wherein said biological fluid sample and said anionic surfactant are combined in said second compartment to yield a surfactant-treated sample; and

(c) a third compartment for storage and sampling of said surfactant-treated sample, said third compartment having an aperture, selectively openable such that in the closed position the surfactant-treated sample is retained in said third compartment and wherein in the opened position the surfactant-treated sample may be transferred from said cartridge to a device comprising a hydrogel sensor effective to measure a physical or chemical property of said biological fluid.

22. A hydrogel sensor system for measuring a physical or chemical property of a biological fluid sample, having a disposable cartridge for collecting and treating a biological fluid sample, said disposable cartridge comprising:

a collection vessel having a first portion with a capillary channel adapted to receive a fluid sample therein, a second proportion comprising a chamber housing a surfactant, wherein a septum between said first and second portions is penetrated by movement of a plunger having a mechanism for penetrating the septum wherein the contents of the surfactant chamber and the capillary channel are mixed, wherein said cartridge is adapted for attachment to a device for measuring a physical or chemical property of said biological fluid.