Method and apparatus for the collection storage and real time analysis of blood and other bodily fluids

Apparatus for passively collecting and separating into cellular and acellular fractions, a blood sample having a volume of up to about 20 milliliters, comprising:

• a housing having at least one opening therethrough for receiving said blood sample;
• a fibrous filter dividing said housing into:
• a blood sample collection chamber having a volume of at least about 1 ml, said blood sample collection chamber being in fluid communication with said opening;
• and
• a serum sample collection chamber;
• said fibrous filter comprising a first surface, substantially all of which fluidly communicates with a blood sample in said blood sample collection chamber, a second surface abutting and fluidly communicating with said serum sample collection chamber, and an intermediate portion having a given height sandwiched between and in fluid communication with both said first and said second surfaces;
• wherein said acellular fraction of said blood sample is filtered from said blood sample collection chamber, across said first surface, across said intermediate portion, and across said second surface into said serum sample collection chamber;
• and
• wherein said fibrous filter has a pore size below about 3 microns and is coated with a mixture comprising between about 1-40% mannitol and between about 0.1-15% albumin;
• and
• an absorbent matrix in fluid communication with said serum sample collection chamber.