Method and apparatus for determining concentration of macromolecules and colloids in a liquid sample
US5076097A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 28, 1990 |
| Grant date | Dec 31, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 28, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N30/62
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An apparatus and method for determining the concentration of macromolecules and colloids in a liquid sample is disclosed. The apparatus preferably includes an electrospray apparatus 16 for forming droplets from the sample. Liquid is removed from the droplets by drying in the electrospray apparatus 16, thereby forming an aerosol. The aerosol of a size greater than a predetermined size is then counted by a condensation nucleus counter 52. In this manner, the target macromolecules and colloids are counted. This apparatus is capable of detecting very small macromolecules and colloids of a wide range of materials in a liquid, for example, individual molecules having molecular weight as small as 10,000.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.