Aquatic autosampler device

US6187530A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM RESEARCH INSTITUTE · US

Inventors

• Christopher A. Scholin · Capitola, US
• Eugene I. Massion · Capitola, US
• David K. Wright · Riverview, US
• Danelle E. Cline · Scotts Valley, US
• Ed Mellinger · Monterey, US
• Mark Brown · Fullerton, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 15, 1999
• Grant date: Feb 13, 2001
• Expiry date: Jul 15, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S436/807
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An aquatic autosampler device for frequent collection of discrete samples of microorganisms at various locations and depths. The aquatic autosampler device moves a filter disk within a filter housing from a filter carousel into a filter housing holder. The filter housing holder, slidably mounted on a linear shuttle, moves the filter housing into a process position, where a syringe draws fluid in through a valve manifold and through the filter disk to collect samples on the filter disk. Reagents may then be passed over the filter disk to enable image-based identification and quantification of the cells on the filter disk. An imaging system on the autosampler may capture a fluorescent image of the microorganisms on the filter disk and store the image in a control computer. The filter housing may then be returned to the filter carousel for storage and further lab processing.