Method and apparatus for heterogeneous chemiluminescence assay

A method for performing a chemiluminescent assay to determine the amount of analyte which may be present in a test sample, said method comprising the steps of:

• forming a reaction mixture comprising an analyte from a test sample with a chemiluminescent moiety in an incubation chamber, said chemiluminescent moiety capable of binding to said analyte as a function of the amount of analyte present in said test sample;
• transferring said reaction mixture from said incubation chamber to a container having a solid, porous element in said container, said porous element having an interactive property with said chemiluminescent moiety wherein said analyte bound to said chemiluminescent moiety is immobilized by said interactive property between said chemiluminescent moiety and said porous element to thereby prevent said chemiluminesent moiety from migrating from said porous element;
• distributing a chemiluminescent activating solution onto said porous element by means of a plurality of ports disposed toward an inclined interior surface of said container, said activating solution capable of reacting with said chemiluminescent moiety immobilized to said porous element to provide a chemiluminescent signal therefrom;
• light-sealing around said container;
• and
• measuring said chemiluminescent signal from said porous element.

A method for performing a competitive chemiluminescent immunoassay to determine the amount of analyte which may be present in a test sample, said method comprising the steps of:

• forming in an incubation chamber a competitive reaction mixture (i) an analyte from a test sample, said analyte or a binding analog thereof labeled with a chemiluminescent moiety, and a binding partner for said analyte or (II) an analyte from a test sample, a binding partner for said analyte labeled with a chemiluminescent moiety, and an immobilizable form of said analyte or analyte thereof;
• transferring said reaction mixture from said incubation chamber to a container having a solid, porous element, said porous element having an interactive property with said binding partner or said immobilizable form of said analyte wherein said analyte or binding analog thereof bound to said chemiluminescent label is immobilized by said interactive property therebetween to thereby prevent said chemiluminescent moiety from migrating from said porous element;
• distributing a chemiluminescent activating solution onto said porous element by means of a plurality of ports disposed toward an inclined interior surface of said container, said activating solution capable of reacting with said chemiluminescent moiety immobilized to said porous element through said binding partner to provide a chemiluminescent signal therefrom;
• light-sealing around said container;
• and
• measuring said chemiluminescent signal from said porous element.