U.S. patent number 4,144,760 [Application Number 05/838,393] was granted by the patent office on 1979-03-20 for method and implement to take and collect sample material, especially for scientific or diagnostic examination.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Battelle-Institut e.V.. Invention is credited to Gert Schlueter, Wilheim Schuster.
United States Patent |
4,144,760 |
Schlueter , et al. |
March 20, 1979 |
Method and implement to take and collect sample material,
especially for scientific or diagnostic examination
Abstract
A method for taking and collecting sample material. A sampler is
used which consists entirely, or at least at its surface or contact
area, of a plastic material which is soluble in water. The sampler,
after wetting and hence superficial dissolution, is brought into
contact with the surface to be examined. The sample material sticks
to the plastic. The sampler is removed and dissolved, whereby the
sample material is collected.
Inventors: |
Schlueter; Gert (Liederbach,
Taunus, DE), Schuster; Wilheim (Frankfurt am Main,
DE) |
Assignee: |
Battelle-Institut e.V.
(Frankfurt am Main, DE)
|
Family
ID: |
5989387 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/838,393 |
Filed: |
September 30, 1977 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Sep 30, 1976 [DE] |
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2644281 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
73/864.71 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B
10/02 (20130101); G01N 1/02 (20130101); G01N
2001/2833 (20130101); G01N 2001/028 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61B
10/00 (20060101); C12M 1/26 (20060101); G01N
1/02 (20060101); G01N 33/483 (20060101); G01N
1/28 (20060101); G01N 001/28 () |
Field of
Search: |
;73/425 ;128/2F,2W
;356/36 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
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4059404 |
November 1977 |
Schuster et al. |
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Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Swisher; S. Clement
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Marsh; Virgil H.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for taking and collecting sample material characterized
in bringing a sampler, after wetting and hence superficial
dissolution, said sampler consists entirely, or at least at its
surface or contact area, of a plastic material which is soluble in
water, into contact with the surface to be examined, whereby said
sample material sticks to the plastic, removing said sampler from
contact with said surface, placing said sampler, or at least said
surface or contact area of said sampler, after sampling, on a
microscopic slide, or spreading it out on a slide, and dissolving
said plastic material carefully on said slide by the addition of
water, during such process the individual constitutents of said
sample material adhering to said slide at the respective contact
sites with retention of the original topography of the sampling
area.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein alcohol is admixed to the
water by which said plastic material on the microscopic slide is
dissolved, whereby, simultaneously with dissolution, fixation of
the sample material occurs.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said water-soluble
plastic material is selected from the group which consists of
polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl pyrrolidone, and is in the form of
a film or sheet.
4. A method for taking and collecting sample material characterized
in bringing a sampler, after wetting and hence superficial
dissolution, said sampler consisting entirely, or at least its
surface or contact area, of a plastic material which is soluble in
water, and said water-soluble plastic material being in the shape
of a film or sheet, into contact with the surface to be examined,
whereby said sample material sticks to the plastic, and removing
and dissolving said sampler, whereby said sample material is
collected with the original topography of the sampling area being
retained.
5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein said sampler or at least
the part of said sampler consisting of the water-soluble plastic
material is introduced into a culture and nutrient medium after
sampling.
6. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein said water-soluble
plastic material is selected from the group which consists of
polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl pyrrolidone.
7. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein said taking and
collecting of sample material is for scientific or diagnostic
examination.
8. A sampler for taking and collecting sample material,
particularly for scientific and diagnostic examinations,
characterized in that said sampler consists entirely of , or at
least at its sample-taking surface or contact area, of a plastic
material which is soluble in water, said water-soluble plastic
material being in the shape of a film or sheet, said sampler
allowing the sample material to be collected to retain the original
topography of the sampling area.
9. A sampler as claimed in claim 8 wherein said water-soluble
plastic material is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl
alcohol and polyvinyl pyrrolidone.
10. A sampler as claimed in claim 9 wherein said sampler consists
of a carrier which is coated with the water-soluble material .
Description
BACKGROUND OF THIS INVENTION
1. Field of This Invention
This invention relates to a method and an implement for taking and
collecting sample material, primarily for diagnostic or scientific
examinations in biology, medicine or engineering.
2. Prior Art
Methods and implements are known for taking and collecting sample
material, particularily for diagnostic and scientific examinations
in biology, medicine and engineering. The range of samples taken
and collected include samples of bacteria and other
micro-organisms, of cellular materials and of other very small
particles of organic or inorganic materials. So far, such samples
have been taken primarily by means of spatulas, cotton swabs or
sharp instruments. It is also common practice, e.g., in
criminology, to take up minute particles by means of a plastic film
coated with an adhesive and then to remove the particles
mechanically from this film for further diagnosis or to leave them
on the film and examine them together with the film. All of such
methods have the disadvantage that damage to or destruction of the
sample, loss of sample material, contamination by the carrier
material and undesired selection processes cannot be avoided.
BROAD DESCRIPTION OF THIS INVENTION
An object of this invention is to provide a method whereby
undamaged, unchanged and representative samples can be taken and
evaluated. Another object of this invention is to provide a method
whereby, when such samples are taken, damage to the sampling area
is avoided. A further object of this invention is to provide an
implement for taking and collecting such sample by such method.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a method and
an implement which avoid the disadvantages of the prior art. Other
objects and advantages of this invention are set out herein or are
obvious herefrom to one ordinarily skilled in the art.
The objects and advantages of this invention are achieved by the
method and implement of this invention.
In accordance with this invention, the disadvantages of the prior
art are avoided, actually undamaged, unchanged and representative
samples can be taken and evaluated, and damage to the sampling area
be avoided, are achieved in a technologically very advanced manner.
A sampler is used which consists entirely, or at least at its
surface or contact area, of a plastic material which is soluble in
water. The sampler, after wetting and hence superficial
dissolution, is brought into contact with the surface to be
examiner, so that sample material sticks to the plastic material.
The sampler is removed and dissolved for collection of the sample
material.
The method (and implement) of this invention is used primarily for
diagnostic or scientific examinations in biology, medicine or
engineering. The sample taken can include samples of bacteria and
other microorganisms, of cellular materials and of other very small
particles of organic or inorganic materials.
In an advantageous embodiment of this invention applicable in
particular the microbiology, for sanitary examinations and similar
purposes, the sampler or at least the part of the sampler
consisting of the water-soluble plastic is introduced after
sampling directly into a culture and nutrient medium. The plastic
is dissolved in such medium so that the microorganisms are free to
grow and can be examined.
In another embodiment of this invention, the sampler (after
sampling) is placed with its contact area on a microscopic slide or
is spread out on a slide. Then the plastic is carefully dissolved
on the slide by the addition of water. During dissolution of the
plastic, the individual constituents of the sample, i.e., the
individual microorganisms, cells, particles, etc., adhere to the
slide at the same place where they are deposited when the sampler
is placed on the slide. Thus the original topography of the area to
be examined is represented unchanged as an imprint on the slide.
Any diagnostic staining method, without reservations, can now be
used to stain the sample prepared in this way.
In addition, according to this invention, e.g., when examining
cells by the above-described imprint method, the sample material
can simultaneously be fixed by adding alcohol to the water which is
used to dissolve the plastic material on the microscopic slide.
The implement or instrument used to carry out the method of this
invention, i.e., the sampler, should preferably consist of a
water-soluble plastic material which is a polyvinyl alcohol or a
polyvinyl pyrrolidone.
The sampler of this invention can be in the form of a sheet or
consists of a carrier which is coated with the water-soluble
plastic material. In the latter case it is possible, for example,
to cut open the plastic coating after sampling and to spread it out
on the microscopic slide, or e.g., if microorganisms are to be
investigated, to introduce it into the culture and nutrient
medium.
A special advantage of the method of this invention and of the
relevant sampler is that sufficiently large samples can be taken
from both large and extremely small surfaces, without any damages
being done to the sample material or the area examined.
The materials required for carrying out the method of this
invention, in particular the plastic which is soluble in water, are
extremely cheap to produce and shape. Plastic film made from a
material of this type may be so thin and pliant that it can be
fitted without any gap and also to uneven surfaces.
Other characteristics, advantages and potential applications of
this invention are obvious from the following description of
further details and embodiments of this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THIS INVENTION
Collection of cells, microorganisms and the like in diagnostic
examinations and for scientific work in biology and medicine may be
carried out, for example, as follows:
Prior to sampling, a sheet of water-soluble plastic material is
partially dissolved by briefly wetting with water. This is not
necessary if, for example, the moisture content of an organ or
tissue surface to be examined is sufficiently high. The now-sticky
surface of the sampler is placed on the surface to be examined and
brought into contact with it by applying slight pressure. After
having been pulled off, the thin, soft and pliant plastic film used
in this case is placed with its contact surface and the adhering
sample material onto a microscopic slide. Preferably the
microscopic slide consists of glass. The sample material is spread
out on the slide by application of slight pressure.
Subsequently, the slide is introduced into a vessel containing pure
water or an alcohol-water mixture. The film dissolves, and the
alcohol in the water, at the same time, leads to fixation of the
collected sample material. After complete dissolution of the film,
the collected sample adheres to the glass surface of the slide. Its
full topography is retained. Further treatment and examination is
done using conventional procedure as used in histology
(staining).
In a similar manner, microorganisms and other particles are
collected from surfaces to be examined and deposited onto glass
slides according to the above-described method of preparation,
their local distribution being retained.
For collecting cells or microorganisms from difficulty accessible
orifices and cavities of the body, such as, the uretha or tear
duct, the sampler according to this invention is adapted in size
and shape to the sampling area. For example, the plastic sheet can
be applied onto a carrier stick. The plastic sheet is cut open
after sampling, and then spread out on the microscopic slide.
In other cases it is useful to coat the sampling instrument, e.g.,
the surface of a probe stem, whose diameter corresponds to that of
the urethra, with the water-soluble plastic material by the dip
tank method. A conventional applicator is then used to introduce
the superficially moistened, coated probe into the urethra and to
bring the surface of the urethra into contact with the probe. After
a short period of time the urethra is dilated and the probe is
removed. Subsequently, the contact surface of the plastic coating
of the probe is applied in the longitudinal direction to a
microscopic slide, and the plastic is dissolved.
For other applications in biology and medicine, e.g., for
gynaecological medical checkups, it is expedient for example to use
a stamp-like sampler consisting of a foam plastic as a carrier for
the water-soluble polymer coating. After sampling, the plastic
sheet is removed from the carrier, and the imprint thus obtained is
transferred to a microscopic slide. In his way, a direct and
comparative assignment of the microscopic image to the microscopic
findings is achieved.
All samples collected and prepared on microscopic slides according
to the method of this invention can be evaluated very easily by a
rapid microscopic process using phase-contrast optics, in addition
to the conventional preparation and staining processes customary in
microscopic diagnostics. According to this invention, the plastic
sheet with the adhering sample material which has been placed on
the microscopic slide is only partly dissolved with water and then
immediately covered with a cover glass.
The resultant preparation can be immediately examined under the
microscope, without any loss in optical quality, and thus is
durably embedded.
When using the method of this invention for examining
microorganisms, it was found that when the water-soluble plastics
is a polyvinyl alcohol and a polyvinyl pyrrolidones, the
water-soluble plastic does not have a negative effect on the growth
of bacteria in the nutrient medium. Also, detrimental side effects
of a different nature were not observed.
The samples used for this application either had the form of sheets
or films or were produced by the dip tank method, or were coated
with the water-soluble plastic material. There is almost unlimited
choice as regards the carrier material and its shape. After
sampling, the coating made of the water-soluble plastic material is
for example, cut open, scraped off or separated from the carrier in
any other suitable way.
Production of a polymer solution for coating the sampler of this
invention or production of a sheet or film serving as carrier for
water-soluble plastic material may be achieved, e.g., by the
following process:
300 parts by weight of polyvinyl alcohol (88 mole percent hydroxyl
groups, viscosity 4 cp, according to DIN 53015) are dissolved in
120 parts by weight of glycerol p.A., 400 parts by weight of ethyl
alcohol p.A. and 440 parts by weight of distilled water.
To coat the carrier, the sampler is immersed in this solution, then
removed from the solution and the resultant film is left to
dry.
Plastic sheet or film suited to produce samplers is produced either
by conventional casting or by spread-coating or knife-coating of
the solution in a thin layer onto a plastic substrate which is
inert to the solution and from which it can be removed after
drying. For carrying out the method according to this invention,
coating or film thickness of 0.1 mm have been found to be
particularly favorable.
The method of this invention can also be used for an application
other than those described above. For example, it is possible in
general to use the film imprint method of this invention not only
for collecting microorganisms from sanitary equipment and
determining them in an overall quantitative way, but their
evaluation can also be effected selectively in order to determine
their distribution in a specific area.
The method of this invention means substantial technological
progress in the following fields of application:
- Germ detection in the food industry
- Detection of fungi and microrganisms in plants and parts of
plants
- Soil sampling
- Collection of organic substances, textile fibers and other small
particles in criminal investigations
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