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US 2003/0222012 A1Published application
Mesoporous membrane collector and separator for airborne pathogen detection
AssigneePurdue Research Foundation
InventorsGil U. Lee, Sang Won Lee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process and apparatus for the collection of biological materials from air. Collection and separation devices utilize a novel membrane structure formed from a functionalized inorganic mesoporous membrane supported by porous substrate.
Claims49
A membrane structure for collection or separation of a biological material present in a fluid sample, the membrane structure comprising:
- a mesoporous membrane comprising an inorganic material, the membrane having an active surface and a support surface, and
- a porous substrate adjacent the support surface of the mesoporous membrane such that, when in use, the fluid enters the membrane structure at the active surface, passes through the mesoporous membrane, and exits the membrane structure without being obstructed by the porous substrate.
A method for collecting an airborne biological material, the method comprising:
- providing a collector comprising a membrane structure comprising a mesoporous membrane comprising an inorganic material, the mesoporous membrane having an active surface and a support surface, and a porous substrate adjacent the support surface of the mesoporous membrane;
- directing a stream of gas through the membrane structure such that the gas stream enters the membrane structure at the active surface, passes through the mesoporous membrane, and exits the membrane structure without being obstructed by the porous substrate;
- collecting a sample from the gas stream on the active surface of the mesoporous membrane;
- and
- removing the sample from the active surface of the mesoporous membrane.
2 more elements
A method for separating biological materials in a liquid sample, the method comprising:
- providing a separator comprising at least a first membrane structure comprising (i) a first mesoporous membrane comprising an inorganic material, the first mesoporous membrane having an active surface and a support surface and comprising pores having a diameter selected so as to exclude a first component in the liquid sample and (ii) a first porous substrate adjacent the support surface of the mesoporous membrane;
- and
- contacting the liquid sample with the active surface of the first mesoporous membrane such that the liquid enters the first membrane structure at the active surface, passes through the first mesoporous membrane, and exits the first membrane structure without being obstructed by the first porous substrate, such that the first component does not pass through the first mesoporous membrane, resulting in separation of the biological materials.
A method for detecting an airborne biological material comprising:
- providing a collector comprising a collector membrane structure comprising a mesoporous collector membrane comprising an inorganic material, the collector membrane having an active surface and a support surface, and a porous substrate adjacent the support surface of the collector membrane;
- directing a stream of gas through the collector membrane structure such that the gas stream enters the collector membrane structure at the active surface, passes through the collector membrane, and exits the collector membrane structure without being obstructed by the porous substrate;
- collecting a sample from the gas stream on the active surface of the collector membrane, wherein the sample comprises the biological material;
- and
- removing the sample from the active surface of the collector membrane to yield a liquid sample comprising the biological material;
- providing a separator comprising at least a first separator membrane structure comprising (i) a first mesoporous separator membrane comprising an inorganic material, the first separator membrane having an active surface and a support surface and comprising pores having a diameter selected so as to exclude a first component in the liquid sample and (ii) a first porous substrate adjacent the support surface of the mesoporous membrane;
- and
- contacting the liquid sample with the active surface of the first separator membrane such that the liquid enters the first separator membrane structure at the active surface, passes through the first separator membrane, and exits the first separator membrane structure without being obstructed by the first porous substrate, such that the first component does not pass through the first separator membrane, resulting in separation of the biological materials;
- and
- detecting the biological material.
7 more elements
A method for making a modified mesoporous membrane comprising:
- providing a mesoporous membrane comprising alumina;
- adsorbing poly(ethyleneimine) onto a surface of the mesoporous membrane to yield an activated membrane surface;
- and
- reacting N-hydroxysuccinimidyl (NHS) ester of poly(ethylene) glycol with a activated membrane surface to yield the modified mesoporous membrane.
1 more element
A method for making a modified mesoporous membrane comprising:
- providing a mesoporous membrane comprising alumina;
- reacting trimethoxysilane with poly(ethylene glycol) in anhydrous toluene in the presence of triethylamine to yield (ω-methoxy terminated PEG) trimethoxysilane;
- and
- reacting (ω-methoxy terminated PEG) trimethoxysilane with a surface of the mesoporous membrane to yield the modified mesoporous membrane.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.