Processor is automatic and includes series of extraction tubes packed with fibrous absorbent material of large surface area. When introduced into these tubes, liquid test samples become completely absorbed by packing material as thin film

Campen, C. F., Jr.

Jahnsen, V. J.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

Liquid Sample Processor
^j
Extract 
Receivers
January 1975	 B7440278 
NASA TECH BRIEF 
NASA Pasadena Office 
NASA Tech Briefs announce new technology derived from the U.S. space program. They are issued to encourage 
commercial application. Tech Briefs are available on a subscription basis from the National Technical Information 
Service, Springfield Virginia 22151. Requests for individual copies or questions relating to the Tech Brief program may 
be directed to the Technology Utilization Office, NASA, Code KT, Washington, D.C. 20546. 
Liquid Sample Processor 
The problem: 
In the recently-developed automated drug identifi-
cation system, described in NASA Tech Brief 
B74-10213 (NPO-13063), the liquid test samples are 
separated manually into four general drug categories 
before the drugs are identified. The samples are either 
blood or urine taken from patients suffering from 
drug overdose. The process of identification is 
automatic and includes the use of gas chromato-
graphs, a mass spectrometer, and a computer. 
However, the manual separation slows the process 
down.
The solution: 
Quick sample separation is accomplished with a 
newly developed processor. 
How it's done: 
The sample processor, as illustrated, is automatic 
and includes a series of extraction tubes packed with a 
fibrous absorbent material of large surface area. 
When introduced into these tubes, the liquid test 
samples become completely absorbed by the packing 
material as a thin film. The tubes are supported on a 
conventional carrousel test-tube transporter. Lined up 
Movement 
-4 
Absorbing 
Material
Movement 
(continued overleaf) 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National 	 Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States 	 information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States 	 will be free from privately owned rights.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19740000278 2020-03-17T14:19:30+00:00Z
directly under the tubes are extraction receivers which 
move with the tubes; the motion is controlled by a 
timer unit. 
As each tube-receiver pair is lined up with a 
dispenser head and a funnel, the mechanism stops. 
The timer unit then activates a pump located under-
neath a solution or solvent source. The pump forces 
the solution or solvent into the tube to bring the pH of 
the test sample to the proper value. Depending on the 
pH selected, a certain drug family will be extracted 
from the material and poured into the extract 
receiver. Once the extract is in the receiver, the source 
pump is shut, and a wash source pump is activated to 
flush the funnel. After the wash is complete, the 
carrousel moves on to line up the next tube-receiver 
pair. 
The source can include only one chemical to 
separate one drug family. An alternate method is to 
use several sources filled with different chemicals. The 
sources are lined up at different points along the 
carrousel radius to process different tube batches 
simultaneously.
Note: 
Requests for further information may be directed 
to:
Technology Utilization Officer 
NASA Pasadena Office 
4800 Oak Grove Drive 
Pasadena, California 91103 
Reference: TSP74-10278 
Patent status: 
Title to this invention has been waived under the 
provisions of the National Aeronautics and Space Act 
[42 U.S.C. 2457(0], to the California Institute of 
Technology, Pasadena, California 91109 
Source: Vilhelm J. Jahnsen and

Charles F. Campen, Jr., of

Caltech/JPL
under contract to

NASA Pasadena Office 
(NPO-13136)
. 
Categories: 05 (Life Sciences) 
04 (Materials) 
07 (Machinery) B74-10278


Liquid sample processor

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