Liquid analysis system

A method of aspirating liquid from a fraction of a fractionated liquid sample within a vessel having a reference feature, the method comprising capturing an image of the reference feature and an image of a first boundary of a first fraction within the sample, analysing the captured images to determine the separation of the first boundary from the reference feature of the vessel, determining a volume of the first fraction with reference to the separation of the first boundary from the reference feature, and aspirating said liquid from the first fraction.

A method of aspirating liquid from a fraction of a fractionated liquid sample within a vessel having a reference feature, the method comprising capturing an image of the reference feature and an image of a first boundary of a first fraction within the sample, the method further comprising capturing a further image of a second boundary of the first fraction within the sample, analysing the captured images to determine the separation between the first and second boundaries, determining a volume of the first fraction with reference to the separation of the first and second boundaries of the first fraction, and aspirating said liquid from the first fraction.

A method of aspirating liquid from a fraction of a fractionated liquid sample within a vessel having a reference feature, the method comprising capturing an image of the reference feature and an image of a first boundary of a first fraction within the sample, the method further comprising capturing a first further image of a second boundary between the first fraction and an adjacent fraction within the sample, capturing a second further image of a third boundary between said adjacent fraction and a further fraction within the sample, analysing the captured first and second further images to determine the separation of the second and third boundaries from the reference feature, determining the difference between the separation of the second and third boundaries from the reference feature, using the difference to calculate the separation of the second boundary from the third boundary, calculating the volume of said adjacent fraction from the calculated separation of the second boundary from the third boundary, and aspirating said liquid from said adjacent fraction.

Apparatus for analysing a fractionated liquid sample, the apparatus comprising a support for a vessel having a reference feature containing said fractionated liquid sample, an image capture device arranged to capture an image of the reference feature of said vessel and an image of a first boundary of a first fraction within said sample, and an image analysis device adapted to analyse the captured images and determine the separation of the first fraction boundary from the reference feature.

Apparatus for analysing a fractionated liquid sample and aspirating liquid from said sample, the apparatus comprising a support for a vessel having a reference feature containing said fractionated liquid sample, an image capture device arranged to capture an image of the reference feature and an image of a first boundary of a first fraction within said sample, an image analysis device adapted to analyse the captured images and determine the separation of the first fraction boundary from the reference feature of the vessel, and an aspiration device to aspirate a desired amount of liquid from said first fraction.