# US 5,350,458 A · Method for cleaning a diagnostic analyzer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,350,458 A - Document ID: US5350458A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/019,826 - Filed: 1993-02-19 - Granted: 1994-09-27 - Earliest claimed: 1989-09-29 - Assignees: Boehringer Mannheim GmbH - Inventors: Judith Pinsl-Ober; Roland Schenk - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5350458A ## CPC - C11D 1/004: {Surface-active compounds containing F} - C11D 1/123: {derived from carboxylic acids, e.g. sulfosuccinates} - C11D 1/143: {Sulfonic acid esters} - C11D 3/2082: {Polycarboxylic acids-salts thereof} - C11D 3/2086: {Hydroxy carboxylic acids-salts thereof} - G01N 35/1004: {Cleaning sample transfer devices} - Y10S 516/04: Protein or carboxylic compound containing - C11D: DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract The invention provides a cleaning solution and a method of using the cleaning solution for cleaning diagnostic analyzers. The solution contains a rapidly wetting surfactant and an inorganic or organic acid. The invention provides rapid and effective cleaning of proteins from all types of materials used for components of automatic analyzers. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for cleaning an immunological or clinical chemistry diagnostic analyzer of proteins or other biological materials comprising i) providing a diagnostic analyzer having a receptacle adapted to contain a liquid sample and requiring cleaning; and ii) contacting said receptacle with an aliquot of an aqueous cleaning solution consisting of a rapidly wetting surfactant and an inorganic or organic acid, for a time sufficient that, when the aqueous cleaning solution is removed, the proteins or biological materials are also removed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method of claim 1 wherein the time of contacting is 20 seconds. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising emptying said receptacle and subsequently re-filling said receptacle with another aliquot of said aqueous cleaning solution. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising emptying said receptacle and subsequently rinsing said receptacle with distilled water. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said diagnostic analyzer is adapted for serial analysis of a plurality of samples, and said receptacle is cleaned between analysis of a first and a second sample. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the surfactant of said aqueous cleaning solution is selected from the group consisting of sodium dihexyl sulfosuccinate (DHSS), sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate (DOSS) and tetraethylammonium perfluoro-octane sulfonate (TAPS). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the acid of said aqueous cleaning solution is an organic acid. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein the acid is chosen from the group of the mono-, di-, tricarboxylic acids and hydroxycarboxylic acids. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the acid selected from the group consisting of citric acid, tartaric acid and succinic acid. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the acid is present in an amount from 0.001 mol/l to 0.5 mol/l cleaning solution. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the acid is present in an amount from 0.01 to 0.1 mol/l cleaning solution. ### Claim 12 A method for cleaning a diagnostic analyzer comprising i) providing a diagnostic analyzer having a receptacle adapted to contain a liquid sample; ii) filing said receptacle with an aliquot of an aqueous cleaning solution consisting of a rapidly wetting surfactant chosen from the group consisting of sulfosuccinic acid ester, fluorosurfactants and secondary alkanesulfonates, said surfactant having a wetting time (according to the Draves Test) of less than 20 seconds at a concentration of 0.3% by weight at 25.degree. C., said surfactant being present in an amount from 0.05 to 1.0% by weight of said cleaning solution and an amount of an inorganic or organic acid with a pk.sub.s value of more than 2.5 which is effective to impart a maximum pH value of 4.0 to said cleaning solution. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the surfactant of said aqueous cleaning solution is present in an amount from 0.1 to 0.5% by weight. ### Claim 14 A method for cleaning a diagnostic analyzer comprising i) providing a diagnostic analyzer having a receptacle adapted to contain a liquid sample; ii) filling said receptacle with an aliquot of an aqueous cleaning solution consisting of a rapidly wetting surfactant selected from the group consisting of sodium dihexyl sulfosuccinate (DHSS), sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate (DOSS) and tetraethylammonium perfluorooctane sulfonate (TAPS), said surfactant being present in an amount from 0.05 to 1.0% by weight in relation to the cleaning solution, and an acid selected from the group consisting of citric acid, tartaric acid and succinic acid, said acid being present in an amount of from the minimum amount which is effective to impart a maximum pH value of 4.0 to said cleaning solution up to 0.5 mol/l of cleaning solution; iii) allowing said aqueous cleaning solution to contact surfaces of said receptacle for a sufficient amount of time to allow cleaning of said receptacle.