CONTAINER HAVING GAS SCRUBBER INSERT FOR AUTOMATED CLINICAL ANALYZER

• US 20110150704A1
• Filed: 12/21/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Gardner, Gregory E., Fritchie, Patrick P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,375,714 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/69
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/044 pierceable, e.g. films, membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/523 with means for closing or opening

Abstract

A device and method for extending the useful life of a liquid in a container used in an automated clinical analyzer. The liquid comprises a material subject to deterioration, the subject material capable of deteriorating as the result of reaction with a contaminant in a gas present in the atmospheric air surrounding the container. Atmospheric air surrounding the container that displaces the liquid consumed from a container is routed through a gas scrubber insert in order to remove or at least reduce the quantity of at least one contaminant present in that air. The gas scrubber insert is positioned between the liquid in the container and the atmospheric air surrounding the container. The gas scrubber insert contains a reagent that is capable of reacting with a contaminant in the atmospheric air surrounding the container, whereby a required characteristic(s) of the liquid does (do) not change excessively prior to the date that the liquid is consumed. For example, if the contaminant is carbon dioxide, and the required characteristic of the liquid is the level of pH of the liquid, the reagent in the gas scrubber insert prevents the level of pH of the liquid from changing excessively prior to the date that the liquid is consumed.

Claims

1. An automated clinical analyzer comprising a container for a liquid, the liquid comprising a material subject to deterioration, said subject material capable of deteriorating as the result of reaction with a contaminant in a gas present in the atmospheric air surrounding the container, said container having a mouth, a septum inserted in said mouth, said septum having an opening therein, said container further having a gas scrubber insert inserted therein.

2. The automated clinical analyzer of claim 1, wherein said gas scrubber insert contains a reagent that is capable of reacting with the contaminant, whereby the value of pH of the liquid does not decrease to such an extent that the liquid cannot be used in the automated clinical analyzer.

3. The automated clinical analyzer of claim 2, wherein the reagent is an alkaline material.

4. The automated clinical analyzer of claim 3, wherein the alkaline material is selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and calcium hydroxide.

5. The automated clinical analyzer of claim 2, wherein the reagent is a metal.

6. The automated clinical analyzer of claim 5, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of iron, copper, and aluminum.

7. The automated analyzer of claim 1, wherein said gas scrubber insert further includes a gas permeable mesh.

8. The automated analyzer of claim 1, wherein said gas scrubber insert further includes an indicator for indicating consumption of the scrubber material.

9. The automated analyzer of claim 8, wherein said indicator for indicating consumption of the scrubber material is a visual indicator.

10. The automated analyzer of claim 9, wherein the visual indicator is a pH-sensitive dye.

11. The automated clinical analyzer of claim 1, wherein the automated clinical analyzer is an automated clinical chemistry analyzer.

12. The automated clinical analyzer of claim 1, wherein the automated clinical analyzer is an automated immunoassay analyzer.

13. The automated clinical analyzer of claim 1, wherein the liquid is selected from the group consisting of liquid reagents, liquid diluents, and liquid samples.

14. A container for a liquid, the liquid comprising a material subject to deterioration, said subject material capable of deteriorating as the result of reaction with a contaminant in a gas present in the atmospheric air surrounding the container, said container having a mouth, a septum inserted in said mouth, said septum having said septum having an opening therein, said container further having a gas scrubber insert inserted therein.

15. The container of claim 14, wherein said gas scrubber insert contains a reagent that is capable of reacting with the contaminant, whereby the value of pH of the liquid does not decrease to such an extent that the liquid cannot be used in the automated clinical analyzer.

16. The container of claim 15, wherein the reagent is an alkaline material.

17. The container of claim 16, wherein the alkaline material is selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and calcium hydroxide.

18. The container of claim 15, wherein the reagent is a metal.

19. The container of claim 18, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of iron, copper, and aluminum.

20. The container of claim 14, wherein said gas scrubber insert further includes a gas permeable mesh.

21. The container of claim 14, wherein said gas scrubber insert further includes an indicator for indicating consumption of the scrubber material.

22. The container of claim 21, wherein said indicator for indicating consumption of the scrubber material is a visual indicator.

23. The container of claim 22, wherein the visual indicator is a pH-sensitive dye.

24. The container of claim 14, wherein the liquid is elected from the group consisting of liquid reagents, liquid diluents, and liquid samples.