U.S. patent number 4,837,157 [Application Number 06/917,291] was granted by the patent office on 1989-06-06 for sample preparation method for liquid chromatography.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Coventry Health Authority. Invention is credited to John D. H. Cooper, David C. Turnell.
United States Patent |
4,837,157 |
Turnell , et al. |
June 6, 1989 |
Sample preparation method for liquid chromatography
Abstract
A plurality of analytes are analyzed by liquid chromatography in
a liquid biological sample containing many components which can
interfere with analysis by liquid chromatography. The sample,
containing the analytes of interest, are passed to a first passage
of a dialyzer which removes molecules in the sample which interfere
with analysis. A diluent is passed through a second passage of the
dialyzer in which the two liquids are separated from each other by
a semipermeable membrane having holes large enough to permit the
analytes of interest to pass into the diluent but holes small
enough to prevent passage of sample components which interfere with
analysis. The analyte-containing diluent is passed to a retaining
element for temporarily retaining the analytes of interest by
adsorption and/or partition. The analytes of interest are removed
from the retaining element by a second diluent which is then passed
through a chromatography column with a detector and the analytes
are analyzed chromatographically. The portion of the sample
containing the interfering molecules is discarded.
Inventors: |
Turnell; David C. (Balsall
Common, GB2), Cooper; John D. H. (Sapcote,
GB2) |
Assignee: |
Coventry Health Authority
(Coventry, GB)
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Family
ID: |
10531784 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/917,291 |
Filed: |
October 8, 1986 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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515499 |
Jul 20, 1983 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Jul 20, 1982 [GB] |
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8220963 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
436/20;
210/198.2; 210/260; 210/321.71; 210/321.72; 210/321.75; 210/656;
210/659; 422/70; 436/161; 436/178; 436/179; 436/89; 436/98;
73/61.52 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01N
30/06 (20130101); G01N 2030/062 (20130101); G01N
2030/146 (20130101); Y10T 436/255 (20150115); Y10T
436/147777 (20150115); Y10T 436/25625 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
G01N
30/00 (20060101); G01N 30/06 (20060101); G01N
30/14 (20060101); G01N 001/28 (); G01N 030/08 ();
G01N 030/14 (); G01N 033/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;55/16,67,158
;73/864.12,864.22,61.1C ;127/54
;210/254,259,260,295,321.1,321.3,282,198.2,656,659 ;422/70,100,101
;436/54,161,177-179,20,89,90,98 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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54-150195 |
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Nov 1979 |
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JP |
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1530847 |
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Nov 1978 |
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GB |
|
1581353 |
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Dec 1980 |
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GB |
|
1581354 |
|
Dec 1980 |
|
GB |
|
Other References
Burns, Donald A.; Fast-LC Concepts for Automated Pesticide
Analysis; Pesticide Analytical Methodology; ACS Symposium Series
136; Washington, D.C., 1980. .
Mohammed et al, Chemical Abstracts, vol. 96, Abstract No.
96:65079j, 1981. .
Knudson et al, Clin. Chem., vol. 24, No. 4, pp. 686-691, 1978.
.
Mohammed et al, J. of Chromatography, vol. 226, pp. 471-476
(1981)..
|
Primary Examiner: Hill, Jr.; Robert J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Nixon & Vanderhye
Claims
We claim:
1. A method of selectively analyzing a plurality of analytes in a
liquid biological sample containing many components which can
interfere with analysis by liquid chromatography, said method
comprising the steps of:
(a) passing a biological liquid sample containing a plurality of
analytes of interest and molecules which can interfere with
analysis by liquid chromatography into a first passage of a
dialyzer;
(b) selectively removing the molecules in the sample which can
interfere with analysis by liquid chromatography from the analytes
of interest by passing a first diluent through a second passage of
the dialyzer, the first and second passages being separated by a
semipermeable membrane having holes sufficiently large to permit
the analytes of interest to pass through the membrane into the
first diluent but sufficiently small to prevent passage of the
molecules which can interfere with analysis by liquid
chromatography, and passing the analytes of interest from the
sample, through the membrane, and into the first diluent to form a
dialyzed sample which still contains the molecules which can
interfere with analysis by liquid chromatography;
(c) passing the first diluent containing the analytes of interest
through a passage in a retaining element which contains material
for temporarily retaining the analytes of interest by either
adsorption, partition or both;
(d) subsequently passing a second diluent through the passage in
the retaining element in order to remove the analytes of
interest;
(e) passing the second diluent containing the analytes of interest
through a chromatography column and detector means in order to
perform chromatographic analysis of the analytes of interest;
and
(f) passing the dialyzed sample which contains the molecules which
can interfere with analysis by liquid chromatography to waste.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which the sample is
circulated repeatedly through the first passage of the dialyzer
while fresh first diluent is passed through the second passage.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which the biological sample
is blood.
4. The method as claimed in claim 3, in which amino acids in the
blood are analyzed.
5. The method as claimed in claim 3, in which the blood is analyzed
for an anti-convulsant drug.
6. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which the biological sample
is urine.
7. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which the biological sample
is a foodstuff.
8. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which the sample is held
stationary in the first passage of the dialyzer while passing the
analytes of interest through the membrane into the first
diluent.
9. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising the additional step
of mixing the sample with a third diluent prior to passing the
sample into the first passage of the dialyzer.
10. The method as claimed in claim 9, in which the third diluent is
a reagent.
Description
This invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for
preparing a sample for analysis by liquid chromatography. The
invention also relates to an element for retaining components of a
sample liquid and further to a probe for mixing liquids.
When it is desired to use liquid chromatography to analyze a sample
of a complex nature such as a biological sample, preparation is
necessary to remove compounds which might otherwise interfere with
the analysis. Hitherto, such samples have been prepared by mixing
them with a suitable reagent such as an acid and then separating
the unwanted compounds from the remainder of the sample in a
centrifuge. This method of preparation is difficult to perform and
does not always provide satisfactory results. Moreover, preparation
by such a method may be lengthy which can cause problems where
labile derivatives are formed. A further disadvantage is that this
method cannot be readily automated.
It is an object of this invention to provide a new or improved
method of preparing samples for analysis by liquid chromatography
which does not suffer from the above-mentioned disadvantages and it
is a further object to provide an apparatus for performing the
method.
According to one aspect of this invention there is provided a
method of preparing a sample for analysis by liquid chromatography
comprising passing the sample through a first passage in a
dialyzer, passing a diluent through a second passage in the
dialyzer, the first and second passages being separated by a
semi-permeable membrane so that components of the sample pass
through the membrane into the diluent, and passing the diluent
which contains components of the sample through a passage in an
element which contains material for retaining said components of
the sample.
In the method of this invention, the wanted components are
separated from the remainder of the sample in the dialyzer and
these wanted components are then retained in concentrated form in
the sample retaining element. They may then be removed for analysis
by passisng a solvent through the element and so the prepared
sample may be analyzed immediately. This method may be readily
automated.
According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided an
apparatus for preparing samples for analysis by liquid
chromatography comprising a dialyzer having a first passage and a
second passage which is separated from the first passage by a
semi-permeable membrance and an element having a passage which
contains material for retaining components of the sample, the inlet
of the first passage of the dialyzer being connected to a tube for
receiving the sample, the inlet of the second passage of the
dialyzer being connected to a tube for receiving diluent and the
outlet of the second passage being connectable to the inlet of the
passage in the sample retaining element.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an element for
retaining components of a liquid sample passing therethrough.
According to a further aspect of this invention there is provided
an element for retaining components of a liquid sample passing
therethrough, said element comprising a pair of members detachably
connected together and a disposable cartridge positioned in a well
formed inside the element, each of said members having a passage
formed therein which communicates with the well.
It is yet another aspect of this invention to provide a probe for
mixing a sample liquid with a diluent.
Acording to a still further aspect of this invention there is
provided a probe for mixing a sample liquid with a diluent
comprising a passage extending between a first inlet for receiving
the sample liquid and a second inlet for receiving the diluent, and
a tube, part of said tube being located inside the passage, one end
of said tube being located adjacent to the first inlet and the
other end of said tube providing the outlet of the probe.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
This invention will now be described in more detail, by way of
example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows in diagrammatic form a conventional liquid
chromatography apparatus;
FIG. 2 shows in diagrammatic form an apparatus for preparing
samples for analysis by liquid chromatography;
FIG. 3A is a sectional view of a probe which forms part of the
apparatus shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating a modification to the probe of
FIG. 3A;
FIG. 4A is an elevational view of a dialyzer forming part of the
apparatus of FIG. 2A;
FIG. 4B is an end view of the dialyzer;
FIG. 4C is a view of the bottom half of the dialyzer with its
membrane removed;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an element which forms part of the
apparatus of FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the electrical connections
between parts of the apparatus of FIG. 2;
FIG. 7 is a timing diagram illustrating the operation of the
apparatus of FIG. 2;
FIG. 8 shows in diagrammatic form another apparatus for preparing
samples; and
FIG. 9 shows in diagrammatic form an apparatus for performing flow
injection analysis.
Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a high pressure liquid
chromatography apparatus comprising a solvent reservoir 10 which is
connected through a tube 11 to the inlet of a high pressure pump
12. The outlet of pump 12 is connected through a tube 13 to an
inlet 14a of a six port injection valve 14. Port 14b of valve 14 is
connected through a tube 15 to the inlet of analytical column 16
which contains material such as modified silica for separating the
components of the sample to be analysed. The column 16 may be an
ALTEX 420 150 mm.times.4.6 mm internal diameter column prepacked
with 5 micrometer diameter Ultrasphere ODS (Anachem Ltd., Luton,
U.K.). The outlet of the column 16 is connected through a tube 17
to the inlet of a detector 18, the outlet of which is connected to
waste. The detector 18 is connected to a recorder 19. The detector
18 may be a Schoeffel FS 970 fluorescence detector (Kratos,
Manchester, U.K.). Ports 14c and 14d of valve 14 are connected to a
loop 20, port 14 e is connected to a tube 21 for receiving the
sample to be analysed and port 14f is connected to waste.
In operation, the ports 14e, 14c, 14d and 14f of valve 14 are
connected in series and the sample to be analysed is drawn into the
loop 20. At the same time, ports 14a and 14b are connected together
so that pure solvent passes through the column 16. Then, ports 14a,
14c, 14d and 14b are connected in series and the sample is injected
into the solvent stream, the components are separated in the column
16 and analysed in the detector 18 and a chromatogram is produced
on the recorder 19.
The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 may be used either with samples which
do not require preparation or which have been prepared prior to
analysis. In FIG. 2, there is shown an apparatus for preparing
samples such as those of a biological nature which contain
compounds which need to be eliminated prior to analysis and which
may be connected to the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 in place of the
loop 20 and the tube 21.
Referring now to FIG. 2, the apparatus thereshown, includes a
sampler 25 which comprises a rotary plate 26 provided with cups 27
for holding samples to be analysed. The sampler 25 also has a wash
reservoir (not shown). The sampler 25 may be a Technicon Auto
Analyser 2 obtained from Technicon Instruments Corporation,
Tarrytown, N.Y., U.S.A. The sampler 25 is associated with a probe
28 which is shown in more detail in FIG. 3A in operation removing a
sample from one of the cups 27. The probe 28 has a tube in the form
of a steel needle 70 mounted in a bore 71 in a perspex block 72.
The needle 70 has an inlet 73. A thin steel tube 74 is mounted with
epoxy cement 85 inside the bore 71 and extends from inlet 73 to a
position beyond the block 72, the free end of the tube 74 outside
tube 70 forming the outlet 78 of the probe. A further steel tube 75
of internal diameter approximately equal to that of needle 70 is
mounted inside a bore 76 which intersects the bore 71. The free end
of tube 75 forms an inlet 77 for receiving diluent and the needle
70. bores 71 and 76 and tube 75 together define a passage which
extends from inlet 77 to inlet 73. By arranging that the flow rate
at outlet 78 is greater than the flow rate at inlet 77, a sample
will be drawn in at inlet 73, and, as the sample and diluent mix at
the entrance to tube 74, precise mixing may be achieved. The inlet
77 receives diluent from a reservoir 33 moved through a tube 34 by
a peristaltic pump 35. The pump 35 is a Technicon Auto Analyser 1
peristaltic pump. With this particular pump, in order to ensure
precise mixing, the ration of the flow rate at outlet 78 to the
flow rate at inlet 77 should be three. The diluent may take the
form of a solvent or a reagent. If it is desired to use two
reagents, the probe may be modified as shown diagrammatically in
FIG. 3B. In FIG. 3B, the probe has a further inlet 79 which is
connected to an opening 80 in tube 74 through a passage 81. The
passage 81 is separated from the tube 75 by a stopper 82. If
desired, small heating coils may be provided in tube 75 or passage
81.
The outlet of the probe 28 is connected through a tube 29 to a port
38a of a four port valve 38. A port 38b of valve 38 is connected
through a tube 39, to the inlet of a first passage of a dialyzer
40. The dialyzer 40 is shown in more detail in FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C
and as there shown comprises first and second passages 41, 42 which
are separated by a semi-permeable membrane 43. The dialyzer is
arranged so that the membrane presents a large surface area to the
fluids flowing through the passages 41 and 42 in relation to the
volume of these passages. The inlets and outlets of passages 41 and
42 are shaped to minimize flow turbulence. The membrane is selected
so that its holes are sufficiently large to permit passage of the
molecules of those components of the sample which it is desired to
analyze and sufficiently small to prevent passage of those
molecules which interfere with the analysis. The membrane may be
made from material sold under the trade name CUPROPHANE.
In order to minimize the required volume of the sample, the
dialiyzer 40 should be small and its length may, for example, be in
the range 25 to 75 mm.
The outlet of the first passage 41 of dialyser 40 is connected
through a tube 44 which passes through the peristaltic pump 35 to a
port 38c of valve 38. A port 38d of this valve is connected to a
port 45a of a four port valve 45 and a port 45b of this valve is
connected to waste. The four port valves 38 and 45 and the valve
14, may be obtained from Anachem Limited, 15 Power Court,
Luton.
A diluent reservoir 46 is connected through a tube 47 to the inlet
of passage 42 and the outlet of passage 42 is connected through a
tube 48 to port 14e of valve 14. Port 14f is connected through the
tube 49 which passes through the pump 35 to waste. The diluent in
reservior 46 may be a solvent or a reagent.
Port 14c of valve 14 is connected through a tube 50 to the inlet of
an element 51 for retaining desired components of the sample and
the outlet of this element is connected through a tube 52 to port
14d. As shown in more detail in FIG. 5, the element 51 comprises a
first member 53 which has an internal screw thread 54 for
connection to the pipe 50 and which leads to a passage 55 of
circular cross-section. At the other end, the passage 55 leads to a
well 56 which contains a cartridge 57 provided with material 58 for
retaining components of the sample. The cartridge 57 comprises a
steel ring 62 and a steel mesh 63 and a nylon mesh 64 which
together define a space which encloses the material 58. The member
53 is threadedly connected to a second member 86 which has an
internal screw thread 59 for connection to the tube 52 leading to a
passage of circular cross-section 60. An O-ring 61 is provided in a
groove between the members 53 and 86. The cartridge 57 may be
removed simply be unscrewing members 53 and 86. The material 58
retains components by adsorption or partition or by a mixture of
these two mechanisms. In order to minimize the required volume of
the sample, the element 51 should be small and, for example its
length may be about 25 mm.
Finally, a water reservoir 62 is connected through a tube 63 to a
port 45c of valve 45 and port 45d of this valve is connected
through a tube 64 through the pump 35 to waste.
The apparatus shown in FIG. 2 may be controlled automatically and
one arrangement for doing this is shown in FIG. 6. As there shown,
the pump 35, valves 38, 45 and 14, the sampler 25 and probe 28 are
operated by a computer 90 through relays 91 to 96. The computer 90
may be a SP4100 computing integrator made by Spectra-Physics Ltd.,
St. Albans, U.K. When using the computing integrator, external
connections T.sub.3 to T.sub.8 are used to drive relays 91 to 96.
The computing integrator also serves as recorder 19 shown in FIG.
1.
The operation of the apparatus will now be described with reference
to FIG. 7. At time t.sub.o, probe 28 is transferred from the wash
reservoir into one of the sampler cups 27. At time t.sub.1, the
pump 35 is energized. At this time, the valves 38 and 45 occupy the
positions shown by solid lines and the valve 14 is positioned so
that ports 14e, 14c, 14d and 14f are connected in series. The
sample is then mixed with the diluent from reservoir 33. At time
t.sub.2 which is just before the resulting mixture reaches port 38c
of valve 38, the probe is transferred back into the wash reservoir
and the valves 38 and 45 are moved into the position shown by
dashed lines. The mixture of diluent and sample then circulates
through tubes 39 and 44 passing through passage 41 of the dialyser
40 whilst fresh diluent from the reservoir 46 passes through the
passage 42 and then through element 51 to waste. The components of
the sample which are to be analysed will be of small molecular size
and so these will pass through the membrane 43 into the diluent
from reservoir 46 and they are then selectively retained in the
material 58 in element 51. By continuing the circulation for a
sufficiently long period all the components of interest will be
extraced from the remainder of the sample and concentrated in
element 51.
In order to perform the analysis, at time t.sub.3, the valve 14 is
operated so that ports 14a, 14c, 14d and 14b are connected in
series and the components from the sample are injected into the
solvent from reservoir 10 shown in FIG. 1 for separation in column
16 and analysis in the detector 18. Also, at time t.sub.3 the
sampler 26 is operated so as to bring the next cup 27 into position
beneath probe 28. At time t.sub.4 valves 38, 45 and 14 are returned
to their first position. At time t.sub.5 the pump 35 is switched
off. When the chromatography analysis has been completed, the cycle
may be repeated with the next sample.
As mentioned above, the diluent in reservoir 33 and 46 may be
solvent or a reagent. Where no chemical modification is required a
suitable solvent is used in both reservoirs. For example, when
analyzing samples of a biological nature such as blood, urine or
foodstuffs the solvent may be a salt solution or an alcohol.
Reagents may be used when it is desired to assist dialysis in
dialyser 40 or adsorption or partition in element 51. Where the
analyte is an acid, dialysis, adsorption and partition will be
assisted by using a stronger acid as the reagent and where the
analyte is an alkali such assistance will be achieved by using a
stronger alkali as the reagent. Where the analyte has a high
polarity dialysis, adsorption and partition may be assisted by
using an organic solvent such as pentanol or by increasing the
ionic strength and this may be achieved by using ammonium sulphate.
Dialysis may also be improved by using a chelating agent such as
EDTA in reservoir 46.
By way of example, when analyzing an anti-convulsant drug such as
phenobarbitone in a blood sample, the reagent in both reservoirs 33
and 46 may be a weak acetate buffer. Phenabarbitone is a weak acid
and so the weak acetate buffer will assist dialysis, adsorption and
partition.
Reagent may also be used to form derivatives which assist the
chromographic analysis. For example, when analysing amino acids in
blood, iodoacetic acid can be used in reservoir 33 to derivatize
cysteine and OPA (orth0-pthaladehyde) is used in reservoir 46 to
form flourescent derivatives of amino acids. Reagents which form
derivatives may be used on their own or together with reagents
which assist dialysis, partition and adsorption.
As mentioned above, the components of interest are retained in the
material 58 in element 51 by adsorption, partition, or both of
these mechanisms. Where it is desired to use only adsorption,
unmodified silica crystals may be used and, where it is desired to
use both adsorption and partition, silica crystals which have been
subjected to reaction with ODS (ocladecyl silane) may be used.
Adsorption may also be achieved by anion or cation exchange by
using, for example, suitably modified silica crystals. Silica
crystals for achieving adsorption, a mixture of adsorption and
partition, adsorption by cation exchange, and adsorption by anion
exchange are manufactured by Whatman Chemical Separation Limited
under their respective trade names Co-Pell PAC, Co-Pell ODS,
Co-Pell SCX, and Co-Pell SAX.
An alternative arrangement for preparing samples for analysis is
shown in FIG. 8, where like parts are denoted by the same reference
numerals as in FIG. 2. In the arrangement of FIG. 8, valves 38 and
45 are not used. In operation, the pump 35 is switched on until the
sample is located in dialyser 40 and the pump is then turned off
whilst dialysis proceeds. After a suitable interval, for example
one minute, the pump is again turned on thereby loading element 51
with the components of interest. Whilst this arrangement does not
achieve exhaustive dialysis, it does permit analysis of very small
samples.
The probes shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B may be used in other
applications where precise mixing is required. In FIG. 9 there is
shown an example of probe 28 being used for flow injection
analysis. In this example, diluent is supplied from a reservoir 100
through a pump 101 to inlet 77 of the probe 28. The outlet of the
probe is connected to the inlet of a flow cell 102, the outlet of
which is connected through pump 101 to waste. When it is desired to
analyze a sample, probe 28 is lowered into the sample and pump 101
is energized.
* * * * *