Modular vial autosampler

A method for extracting a liquid specimen from a vial so as to reduce carryover from the liquid specimen into a subsequent extraction of another liquid specimen, comprising the steps of:

• providing a syringe, a needle for contacting the liquid specimen in the vial, an outlet for the extracted specimen, and a vial holder, the vial holder having a drain;
• providing a first path coupling the needle to the syringe and a second path coupling the syringe to the outlet;
• drawing the liquid specimen into the syringe from the needle via the first path;
• expelling the liquid specimen out of the outlet from the syringe via the second path;
• removing the vial from the vial holder;
• at least partially surrounding the needle with a wall of the vial holder when a vial is absent from the vial holder;
• providing a wash fluid;
• and
• flushing the needle and a portion of the first path separate from the syringe and the second path with the wash fluid when the vial is absent from the vial holder and carrying away the wash fluid discharged from the needle down the drain.

A system for extracting a liquid specimen from a vial and for performing a self-cleaning operation with a wash fluid to reduce carryover comprising:

• a multiple port valve;
• a stationary needle for at least partial immersion in the liquid specimen, the needle coupled to a first port of the multiple port valve by a first path;
• a syringe coupled to a second port of the multiple port valve by a second path;
• a specimen outlet for carrying the specimen to an analyzer coupled to the multiple port valve by a third path;
• a source of wash fluid;
• a fourth path coupling the source of the wash fluid to the multiple port valve, wherein the system is operable to flush the wash fluid through at least a portion of the first path and out the needle;
• and
• a vial holder for removably holding the vial containing the liquid specimen, and having a wall that at least partially surrounds the needle when the vial is removed from the vial holder, the vial holder having a drain to carry away wash fluid discharged from the needle when the vial is removed from the vial holder.