APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATED DIFFUSION FILTRATION, CULTURING AND PHOTOMETRIC DETECTION AND ENUMERATION OF MICROBIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN FLUID SAMPLES

摘要

A system providing non-intrusive, automated culturing and photometric detection for analyzing microbiological parameters is described. The system includes a sealed non-intrusive sample cuvette, a housing with an enclosable cover, systems for incubation and photometric detection mounted within the housing. The sample cuvette consists of a clear graduated optically transmitive container with two chambers-a culture chamber and a detection chamber, separated by a permeable membrane wall. The cuvette has an upper part and a lower part of different dimensions. The upper part is bigger in size than the lower part. The sealed top of the cuvette has two fluid inlet/outlet ports for the introduction of the sample into one chamber while when connected to a suitable vacuum device, the second chamber receives the filtered sample through the permeable membrane. The housing has a cuvette holder that is shaped to provide a very snug fit for the cuvette. When placed inside the cuvette holder the bottom of the upper part of the cuvette rests on top of the holder while the bottom part snugly fits inside the holder cavity. The housing with the enclosable cover provides a thermal chamber during simultaneous incubation and photometric enumeration of microbiological parameters. The cuvette holder accommodates a heating element and a temperature sensor. Photometric detection components comprising LEDs and detectors are placed strategically within the holder.