JPH0370788B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a continuous flow type automatic chemical analyzer, which is equipped with a plurality of reaction coils and which is used to supply a reaction liquid to the reaction coil when analyzing a plurality of analysis items and a plurality of specimen samples. By allowing the particles to stay, each analysis flow path can be shortened.

Usually, when there are multiple analysis items in continuous flow automated chemical analysis, reactions for detection,
For example, the color reaction may take several minutes or more than 10 minutes to complete, and the reaction solution (liquid containing the specimen sample, buffer solution, and reagent solution) is pumped at the optimum flow rate of the liquid pump. If you continue to do so, the flow path for detection until the end of the reaction will be from several tens of meters to several tens of meters.
It needs to be as long as a meter.

In general, the appearance of the laminar flow cross section of a liquid transfer tube is such that due to the frictional resistance of the liquid transfer tube, the flow in the layer around the tube is delayed compared to the center layer of the flow, and the center layer expands toward the periphery of the tube, resulting in a change in the structure of the liquid transfer layer. Disturbed. Since the accuracy of peak detection by the detection unit is affected by the width of the analyte sample layer in the reaction solution, the spread (diffusion) of the analyte sample layer due to the above phenomenon is disadvantageous to peak detection.

On the other hand, even if the necessary reaction time is obtained by stopping the liquid pump in the middle of analysis in order to complete the reaction for detection in a short flow path, the amount of liquid sent when the pump is stopped and started will fluctuate, and the detection It becomes impossible to send a certain amount of reaction solution to the chamber, making accurate analysis impossible. Furthermore, stopping the pump will reduce the throughput of the entire device.

This invention was made in view of these circumstances, and its specific configuration includes: a sample injection section, an immobilized enzyme column; In a continuous flow automatic analyzer that connects a reaction section and a detection section in sequence and analyzes the components of a specimen sample using reactions with enzymes and reactions with reagents, multiple immobilized enzyme columns are installed in parallel. A plurality of branch passages each having a reaction section connected to the outlet of the immobilized enzyme column, a plurality of reaction coils connected to each branch passage via an on-off valve, and the other ends of these reaction coils. Extends from 1
This automatic analyzer is composed of a focusing path that focuses on a book, and is configured so that a reaction liquid can stay in a reaction coil for a predetermined period of time by operating each on-off valve.

In other words, this invention consists of a plurality of short reaction coils connected in parallel, and an on-off valve is connected to each of the plurality of reaction coils. By sending the liquid without stopping the liquid pump and closing the on-off valve, the reaction liquid stays in each reaction coil for the time required for reaction, and after a sufficient reaction occurs, the on-off valve is opened and the reaction liquid is removed. By sending the liquid to the detection unit, the flow path to the reaction for each analysis can be shortened, preventing the diffusion of the specimen sample and allowing analysis to be performed without reducing the specimen processing speed. It is something.

Note that the number of reaction coils used in the present invention can be arbitrarily increased or decreased according to different reaction times for each of a plurality of analysis items. The same thing can also be considered for reagent solutions.

Furthermore, by providing a reaction line in which the reaction solution does not accumulate, the length of the reaction coil can be shortened by flowing a buffer solution through the reaction line while the on-off valve of the reaction coil is closed.

The present invention will be described in detail below based on embodiments shown in the figures. Note that this invention is not limited to this.

In FIG. 1, the automatic analyzer 1 is configured as follows.

2 is a reagent solution, 3 is a reagent solution, and 4 is a buffer solution, which are connected to the liquid pump 8 through a first reagent solution supply path 5a, a second reagent solution supply path 6b, and a buffer solution supply path 7a, respectively. has been done. The temperature of the reagent solution 2, the reagent solution 3, and the buffer solution 4 is adjusted to the optimum reaction temperature by the liquid sending pump 8 through the first reagent solution supply path 5, the second reagent solution supply path 6, and the buffer solution supply path 7. The reaction coils 9 to 18 are fed under pressure.

At this time, the reagent solution 2, the reagent solution 3, and the buffer solution 4 are preheated by the reagent preheater 19. After passing through a reagent preheater 19, the buffer supply path 7 is connected to a sample injection section 20. Here, the specimen sample 21 is injected into the buffer solution 4 by the sample injection unit 20 having the suction cylinder 22 .

The buffer solution 4 into which the specimen sample 21 has been injected is sent to two branched buffer solution supply channels 7c and 7d by a four-way connector 23 provided in the buffer solution supply channel 7. On-off valves 24 and 25 are provided on the buffer solution supply channels 7c and 7d.
and immobilized enzyme columns 26 and 27 in order, and a buffer solution 4 is applied to the immobilized enzyme columns 26 and 27 of the analysis item designated by the analysis item designation mechanism (not shown).
is delivered.

A flow path switching three-way valve 2 installed on the buffer supply path 7 between the sample injection section 20 and the reagent preheater 19
8 and the four-way connector 23, and a bypass 29 is formed to prevent the specimen sample 21 from being injected into the buffer solution 4 if necessary.

The buffer solution 4 that has passed through the immobilized enzyme columns 26 and 27 connects the buffer solution supply channels 7c and 7d to the three-way connector 30.
The buffer solution is sent to one buffer supply channel 8 where the buffer solution is concentrated by the buffer solution. The first reagent solution supply path 5 and the second reagent solution supply path 6 are further converged into one by this one buffer solution supply path 7 and the four-way connector 31, and the reagent solution 2, reagent solution 3, and A reaction solution in which the buffer solution 4 and the sample reagent 21 are mixed is sent to a liquid supply path branching section 32 consisting of a buffer solution supply path 7 and reagent supply paths 5 and 6 .

Branch passages 34 and 35 are formed to be switched by a first passage switching valve 33 connected to the liquid feeding passage branch part 32, and a second passage switching valve 3 is provided at the ends of the branch passages 34 and 35.
6 a third flow path switching valve 37;
6 and 37, and equivalent reaction coils 9 to 18 that perform the same reaction under the same conditions are connected to the parallel branch paths 38 to 47 via on-off valves 48 to 57.

First, second, third flow path switching valves 33, 36, 37
When the reaction liquid is sent to the first reaction coil 9 by the action of the on-off valves 48 to 57, the on-off valve 48 corresponding to this reaction coil 9 is closed, and this reaction coil 9 is fed for the time necessary for the reaction. stay in.

In a similar operation, the reaction liquid for measuring the second analysis item of the first specimen sample stays in the second reaction coil 10.

On the other hand, while all the on-off valves 48 to 57 are closed in order to retain the reaction solution in the reaction coils 9 to 18, the flow of the buffer solution 4 is controlled by the flow path switching three-way valve 28 from the bypass 29 into which the specimen sample 21 is not injected. The liquid passes through the liquid feeding paths 7c and 7d and reaches the flow path switching valve 32 connected to the liquid feeding path branch path 32.

From this flow path switching valve 33 to another branch path 58 independent of the branch paths 34 and 35, via an on-off valve 56,
One non-equivalent reaction line 60 that is not used for retention of the reaction liquid is connected, and the reaction liquid that has passed through the bypass 29 is sent to this branch path 58 .

In this way, when the reaction liquid for the specified analysis item of the first sample is retained in any of the reaction coils 9 to 18, the second sample sample 2
The reaction liquid for the specified analysis item 1 is transferred to the reaction coils 9 to 9 which are not used in the first specimen sample 21.
18. Similar operations are repeated for the following specimen samples 21.

Next, the focusing paths 61 to 70 of the ten equivalent reaction coils 9 to 18 are focused into respective focusing paths 73 and 74 by hexagonal connectors 71 and 72, and this focusing path 7
3, 74 and one non-equivalent reaction line 60 are connected to the detection unit 81 via a focusing path 75 and a further focusing detection path 77 by a four-way connector 76.

The detection unit 81 includes a detector 78, a flow cell 79, and a light source 80, and has a discharge path 82 at its outlet for discharging waste liquid.

After the reaction liquid retained in any of the reaction coils 9 to 18 remains for a sufficient time for the reaction, the on-off valves 48 to 57 corresponding to the reaction coils 9 to 18 are opened, thereby forming the focusing paths 61 to 70 and the focusing path 73. , 74 to the position of a flow cell 79 for absorbance measurement constituting the detection section 81 on the detection path 77, the absorbance value is measured by the detector 78, and the liquid is discharged to the discharge path 82.

By sequentially repeating such operations, reaction liquids are retained in a plurality of equivalent reaction coils 9 to 18 as required, and the reaction liquids that have obtained a reaction time are sequentially sent to a flow cell 79 and their absorbance is measured.

The measured values obtained as described above are calculated by the data processing mechanism, and the analysis results are printed out (not shown) as an activity value or a concentration value by a printing unit (not shown). In addition, the status of the device's normal/abnormal data is displayed on the display unit (not shown) as necessary, and a series of such operations are automatically controlled by the device control mechanism (not shown). be done.

As described above, the reaction liquid is transferred to any one of the plurality of equivalent reaction coils 9 to 18.
In step 18, the liquid remains for a time necessary for the reaction, and after a sufficient reaction is performed, the liquid is sequentially sent to a measurement flow cell 79 placed in front of a detector 78, and the absorbance is measured. By using a channel, it is possible to prevent diffusion during a relatively long reaction time, such as a reaction time of several minutes, and to make it practically possible to measure the absorbance after the reaction has sufficiently reached its end point. By using a long flow path, a continuous flow automatic chemical analyzer can be manufactured without reducing the sample throughput.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional explanatory diagram showing one embodiment of an automatic analyzer according to the present invention. 1...Automatic analyzer, 8...Liquid pump, 9~
18... Reaction coil, 24, 25... Immobilized enzyme column, 32... Liquid feed path branch, 34, 35, 3
8-47...branch road, 48-57...open/close valve, 6
1 to 70, 73, 74, 75... focus path, 81...
... detection section, 83 ... specimen sample injection section, 84 ... reaction section.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An analyte sample injection section, an immobilized oxygen column, a reaction section, and a detection section are connected in this order to a liquid feeding path through which a buffer solution and a reagent solution are continuously fed by a liquid feeding pump. , a continuous flow type automatic analyzer that analyzes the components of a specimen sample using reactions with oxygen and reagents, in which a plurality of immobilized oxygen columns are arranged in parallel, and the reaction section is connected to the immobilized oxygen column. It consists of multiple branch paths connected to the outlet, multiple reaction coils connected to each branch path via on-off valves, and a focusing path extending from the other end of these reaction coils and converging into one. , an automatic analyzer configured to allow a reaction liquid to remain in a reaction coil for a predetermined time by operating each on-off valve. 2. The automatic analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the specimen sample injection section comprises an injection path extending from the switching valve and a bypass thereof.