# US 2019/0168224 A1 · Device and Method of Microbiology Waste Containment

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- Number: US 2019/0168224 A1
- Document ID: US20190168224A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/271,460
- Filed: 2019-02-08
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-07-02
- Inventors: Norman W. Leard, IV
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168224A1

## CPC

- B01L 9/52: {Supports specially adapted for flat sample carriers, e.g. for plates, slides, chips}
- B01L 1/50: {for storing hazardous materials in the laboratory, e.g. cupboards, waste containers (sample containers B01L3/50)}
- B01L 2200/082: Handling hazardous material
- B01L 2300/0609: Holders integrated in container to position an object
- B01L 2300/0822: Slides
- B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE

## Abstract

A microbiology waste containment apparatus and method are provided to prevent toxic slide staining chemicals from being dumped down a drain during slide staining and thus entering publicly owned water treatment works. A primary containment vessel is provided having side walls and an open top area, and a funnel is provided in communication with the open top area. A secondary containment vessel is in fluid communication with the funnel. When microbiology waste is generated above the open top area, the microbiology waste is collected by the funnel and conducted to the secondary containment vessel. The secondary vessel may be disposed internally to the primary vessel, or it may be external to the primary vessel. In the case of the internal secondary vessel, the entire apparatus may be portable and thus appropriate for field or military work.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of containing microbiology waste generated during a microbiology slide staining procedure, comprising the steps of:
i) providing a primary containment vessel having side walls and an open top area;
ii) providing a funnel in communication with the open top area;
iii) providing a secondary containment vessel in fluid communication with the funnel;
iv) performing a microbiology slide staining procedure above the open top area, the microbiology slide staining procedure generating microbiology waste;
v) collecting the microbiology waste generated by said performing step iv) by the funnel; and
vi) conducting the waste collected by the funnel in said collecting step v) to the secondary containment vessel.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A method of containing microbiology waste generated during a microbiology slide staining procedure according to claim 1, wherein the secondary containment vessel is an inner containment vessel and the method further comprises the step of disposing the inner containment vessel within the primary containment vessel.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A method of containing microbiology waste generated during a microbiology slide staining procedure according to claim 1, wherein the secondary containment vessel is an external containment vessel and the method further comprises the step of disposing the external containment vessel outside of the primary containment vessel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A method of containing microbiology waste generated during a microbiology slide staining procedure according to claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a slide staining support disposed in one of a) the open top area, or b) the funnel, adapted to support slides being prepared with chemicals that become microbiology waste following a slide staining procedure.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A method of containing microbiology waste generated during a microbiology slide staining procedure according to claim 1, the funnel being dimensioned substantially the same size as the open top area.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A method of containing microbiology waste generated during a microbiology slide staining procedure according to claim 1, wherein the secondary containment vessel includes an inner containment vessel disposable within the primary containment vessel.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A method of containing microbiology waste generated during a microbiology slide staining procedure according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
providing a lid lockable onto the primary containment vessel; and
providing at least one handle disposed on an exterior of at least one of a) the lid, or b) the primary containment vessel,
wherein the primary containment vessel is hand-carriable and portable.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A method of containing microbiology waste generated during a microbiology slide staining procedure according to claim 1, further comprising the step of providing the funnel with flanges adapted to engage a lip in the primary containment vessel just below the open top area.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

A method of containing microbiology waste generated during a microbiology slide staining procedure according to claim 8, further comprising the step of adjusting the lengths of the flanges to accommodate primary containment vessels of different sizes.