DEVICE AND METHOD FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF ANALYTES IN BODILY FLUIDS

摘要

Assemblies and methods are provided for detecting alcohol using a reconstituted reagent solution. An alcohol reaction assembly includes an alcohol reaction chamber, a reagent chamber in fluid communication with the alcohol reaction chamber, and a buffer chamber in fluid communication with the reagent chamber. The alcohol reaction assembly further includes a buffer dispense plunger disposed within the buffer chamber for dispensing buffer from the buffer chamber, through the reagent chamber, and into the alcohol reaction chamber, where it hydrates dry reagent therein to produce a reagent solution. The alcohol reaction assembly further includes a calibrator chamber in fluid communication with the alcohol reaction chamber, and a calibrator dispense plunger disposed within the calibrator chamber to dispense a predetermined quantity of alcohol into the alcohol reaction chamber. The alcohol reaction assembly also includes a sample chamber in fluid communication with the alcohol reaction chamber, and being configured for containing a sample. The alcohol reaction assembly includes buffer and calibrator drive assemblies can be mechanically coupled to the buffer and calibrator dispense plungers to automate them. The components of the alcohol reaction assembly can also be arranged in a cassette and test console. For example, the chambers and plungers can be contained with the cassette, whereas the drive assemblies can be contained within the test console. In this case, the buffer drive assembly can include a cassette loading drive assembly that is configured to load the cassette into the test console, and a buffer driver that is fixed within the test console and is configured to move the buffer dispense plunger within the buffer chamber as the cassette is being loaded into the test console.