Combination concentrator-dialyzer device

Abstract

Abstract A LABORATORY METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY CONCENTRATING AND DIALYZING, THROUGH THE SAME SEMIPERMEABLE MEMBRANE, A SAMPLE OF MACROMOLECULES SUCH AS A PROTEIN SOLUTION. THE DEVICE COMPRISES AN AIR-TIGHT VERTICAL CYLINDRICAL HOUSING HAVING A PLURALITY OF SEMIPERMEABLE MEMBRANE TUBES STRETCHED VERTICALLY INSIDE THE HOUSING BETWEEN ITS TOP AND BOTTOM END WALLS. THE OPEN ENDS OF EACH TUBE ARE SEALINGLY FASTENED TO THE END WALLS OF THE HOUSING AND COMMUNICATE WITH THE EXTERIOR THEREOF THROUGH APERTURE SO AS TO EXPOSE THE INTERIOR OF EACH TUBE TO THE ATMOSPHERE WHILE SEALING IT FROM THE REMAINDER OF THE CYLINDRICAL HOUSING. THE APERTURE AT THE BOTTOM OF EACH TUBE IS ADAPTABLE TO RECECIVE A SYRINGE FOR AUTOMATICALLY PREDETERMINING THE MINIMUM VOLUME TO WHICH THE SAMPLE WILL BE CONCENTRATED. THE INTERIOR OF THE CYCLINDRICAL HOUSING COMPRISES A DIALYSATE COMPARTMENT FILLED WITH A SUITABLE LIQUID WHICH ENGULFS THE EXTERIOR OF THE MEMBRANE TUBES. THE LIQUID IS INITIALLY SUBJECTED TO SUBATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE BY THE APPLICATION OF SUCTION FROM A A VACUUM PUMP OR WATER ASPIRATOR COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR OF THE HOUSING. AFTER THE INITIAL APPLICATION OF SUCTION, THE LIQUID CAN BE MAINTAINED AT SUBS ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE BY COUPLING THE HOUSING WITH A VACUUM RESERVOIR, AND THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF VACUUM CAN BE DISCONNECTED FROM THE HOUSING. UPON THE INSERTION OF A SAMPLE INTO A MEMBRANE TUBE, BOTH DIALYSIS AND CONCENTRATION OF THE SAMPLE OCCUR SIMULTANEOUSLY THROUGH THE SEMIPERMEABLE MEMBRANE TUBE.

Inventors

• 👤 D Begley
• 👤 M Cook

Bibliographic Details