Universal zero-headspace extractor vessel

A pressurizable zero-headspace extractor vessel useful in preparing multiphase sample mixtures for constituent analysis, said constituents potentially including heavy metals and volatile organics and said sample mixtures comprising solid-phase material and liquid-phase material, said liquid-phase material including an extraction liquid, wherein said extractor vessel is agitatable to effect thorough mixing of said sample mixture and comprises:

• a) a cylinder;
• b) a pressurizable sample chamber for said multiphase sample mixtures within said, cylinder, said sample chamber being pressurizable to a working pressure of at least 50 psig;
• c) a discharge port for egress of liquids from said sample chamber;
• d) a piston movable in said cylinder to pressurize said sample chamber and drive fluids out of said discharge port;
• e) piston-driving means to urge said piston to move in said cylinder;
• f) solids-retaining filtration means to retain solid-phase material within said sample chamber as fluids are driven out;
• g) liner members defining said pressurizable sample chamber, said liner members having wettable surfaces in said sample chamber, said wettable surfaces constituting the surfaces contacted by said sample mixtures during normal use of said vessel, said liner members and wettable surfaces being formed of a fluorinated polymer selected from the group consisting of fluorinated polymers and copolymers of alkylenes and alkoxylenes and fluorinated polymers and copolymers of chlorinated alkylenes and alkoxylenes;
• h) structural support members defining said cylinder backing and supporting said liner members to sustain said substantial working pressure in said sample chamber, said structural support member being formed of a lightweight, moldable, synthetic-polymer plastic structural material said structural material is a plastic selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, high-density polyethylene, poly vinyl chloride, copolymers of any one of the foregoing polymers, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, chlorinated polyvinyl chloride, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer, polyvinylidene fluoride and polyacetal plastics polymers;
• and
• i) sealing means between said liner members, said sealing means being operative to seal said fluorinated polymer liner members to retain said working pressure of at least 50 psig;
• whereby samples can be admixed and agitated with an extraction liquid in said sample chamber, under said working pressure, and said admixed extraction liquid can be discharged from said vessel for testing, while said sample mixture contact only said wettable surfaces of said extractor vessel, said wettable surfaces being formed of said fluorinated polymer material.