Vial cap and method for removing matrix components from a liquid sample
AssigneeDionex Corporation
InventorsChristopher A. Pohl, Rosanne W. Slingsby
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vial cap for removing a matrix component from a liquid sample is described. The vial cap includes a cap body, an inlet portion, and an outlet portion. The cap body is configured to have a slidable gas and liquid seal with a side wall of a sample vial. The inlet portion includes a counterbore section that holds a filter plug. The filter plug includes a polyethylene resin and a material selected from the group consisting of an ion exchange material and a reversed-phase material. The vial cap is adapted for solid phase extraction for use in an autosampler with a plurality of sample vials.
Claims15
A vial cap for removing a matrix component from a liquid sample and transferring the liquid sample in a sample vial to an injection valve at the same time, the vial cap comprising:
- a cap body including a liquid sample passageway, and an outer periphery configured to have a slidable gas and liquid seal with a side wall of a sample vial, the sample vial including a side wall, a bottom wall, and an inlet opening;
- an inlet portion configured to receive a pressurized liquid sample from the sample vial where the liquid sample flows into the liquid sample passageway, the inlet portion including a counterbore section, the counterbore section holding a filter plug, the filter plug comprising high density polyethylene resin particles fused together with a matrix component binding material selected from the group consisting of an ion exchange material and a reversed-phase material, the matrix component binding material physically entrapped within a void volume between fused resin particles in the fused high density polyethylene;
- an outlet portion configured to output the liquid sample from the liquid sample passageway that has passed through the filter plug, the outlet portion including a plunger section configured to receive a downward force into a sample vial to pressurize the liquid sample within the sample vial.
A method of removing a matrix component from a liquid sample using a vial cap, the vial cap comprising:
- a cap body including a liquid sample passageway, an outer periphery configured to have a slidable gas and liquid seal with a side wall of a sample vial, the sample vial including a side wall, a bottom wall, and an inlet opening;
- an inlet portion configured to receive a pressurized liquid sample from the sample vial where the liquid sample flows into the liquid sample passageway, the inlet portion including a counterbore section, the counterbore section holding a filter plug;
- an outlet portion configured to output the liquid sample from the liquid sample passageway that has passed through the filter plug, the outlet portion including a plunger section configured to receive a downward force into a sample vial to pressurize the liquid sample within the sample vial, the method comprising:
- adding the liquid sample to a sample vial;
- pushing the vial cap through the inlet opening of the sample vial towards the bottom wall to pressurize the liquid sample within the sample vial;
- displacing the liquid sample into the inlet portion, through the filter plug, and out of the outlet portion, the filter plug comprising high density polyethylene resin particles fused together with a matrix component binding material selected from the group consisting of an ion exchange material and a reversed-phase material, the matrix component binding material physically entrapped within a void volume between fused resin particles in the fused high density polyethylene;
- and
- at the same time of the displacing, removing a portion of the matrix component from the liquid sample with the filter plug.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.