# US 7,858,366 B2 · Integrated airborne substance collection and detection system

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- Number: US 7,858,366 B2
- Document ID: US7858366B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/509,969
- Filed: 2006-08-24
- Published: 2008-02-28
- Granted: 2010-12-28
- Earliest claimed: 2006-08-24
- Assignees: MicroFluidic Systems, Inc.
- Inventors: Allen Northrup; Farzad Pourahmadi; Bob Yuan; Amy J. Devitt
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7858366B2

## CPC

- G01N 1/22: in the gaseous state {(specially adapted for biological material G01N33/497; measuring breath flow A61B5/087)}
- G01N 1/2273: {Atmospheric sampling}
- G01N 1/24: Suction devices {(G01N1/22 - G01N1/2294 take precedence)}
- G01N 33/54366: {Apparatus specially adapted for solid-phase testing}
- G01N 33/56911: {Bacteria}
- 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)

## Abstract

An integrated collection and detection system is configured to monitor the ambient air for specific particles, such as toxins and pathogens. An air collector captures airborne particles and outputs a fluid sample including the captured particles in a fluid solution. The collection and detection system includes a control module configured to control the processing of the fluid sample such that detection of one or more types of particles is fully automated within the integrated system. The types of particles to be processed and detected include, but are not limited to, cells, bacteria, viruses, nucleic acids, toxins, and other pathogens. If one or more specific types of particles are detected, a system alarm is triggered. The system alarm triggers a local audio/visual alarm and/or is transmitted over a communications network to either a local or central monitoring location. More than one collection and detection system can be coupled to the network and monitored by the central monitoring location.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An integrated detection apparatus to detect the presence of one or more different types of particles, the integrated detection apparatus comprises:
a. an air collection device configured to intake ambient air including airborne particles and to output a fluid sample including the particles;
b. a toxin detection module configured to process a first portion of the fluid sample to detect the presence of one or more specific toxins;
c. a nucleic acid detection module configured to process a second portion of the fluid sample to detect the presence of one or more specific nucleic acids, wherein the nucleic acid detection module processes the second portion of the fluid sample concurrently with the toxin detection module processing the first portion of the fluid sample; and
d. microfluidic circuitry to couple the air collection device, the toxin detection module, and the nucleic acid detection module within the integrated detection apparatus.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The integrated detection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the toxin detection module comprises one or more capture devices configured to capture the one or more specific toxins from the fluid sample.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The integrated detection apparatus of claim 2 wherein the toxin detection module further comprises an optical detection module configured to optically detect the presence of the captured one or more specific toxins within the one or more capture devices.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The integrated detection apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an archive module to store the fluid sample.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The integrated detection apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a distribution module configured to meter and to distribute the first portion of the fluid sample to the toxin detection module, to meter and to distribute the second portion of the fluid sample to the nucleic acid detection module, and to meter and to distribute a third portion of the fluid sample to the archive module.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The integrated detection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the air collection device is further configured to continuously intake ambient air and to periodically output a new fluid sample to be processed by the toxin detection module and the nucleic acid detection module.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The integrated detection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nucleic acid detection module comprises a lysis module configured to lyse one or more cell types within the fluid sample, thereby forming a lysate fluid sample.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The integrated detection apparatus of claim 7 wherein the nucleic acid detection module further comprises one or more purification devices configured to capture one or more nucleic acids from the lysate fluid sample.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The integrated detection apparatus of claim 8 wherein the nucleic acid detection module further comprises a thermal cycling module coupled to the purification device to receive the one or more nucleic acids and configured to thermally cycle the one or more nucleic acids, thereby forming an amplified fluid sample including an amplified number of each of the one or more nucleic acids.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The integrated detection apparatus of claim 9 further comprising an optical detection module coupled to the thermal cycling module and configured to optically detect the presence of the one or more specific nucleic acids within the amplified fluid sample.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The integrated detection apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a control module configured to control the operation of the air collection device, the toxin detection module, and the nucleic acid detection module.

### Claim 12

An autonomously functioning detection apparatus to detect the presence of one or more different types of particles, the autonomously functioning detection apparatus comprises:
a. an air collection device configured to automatically intake ambient air including airborne particles and to automatically output a fluid sample including the particles;
b. a toxin detection module configured to automatically process a first portion of the fluid sample to detect the presence of one or more specific toxins;
c. a nucleic acid detection module configured to automatically process a second portion of the fluid sample to detect the presence of one or more specific nucleic acids, wherein the nucleic acid detection module processes the second portion of the fluid sample concurrently with the toxin detection module processing the first portion of the fluid sample; and
d. a control module configured to provide control signals to the air collection device, the toxin detection module, and the nucleic acid detection module to enable the detection apparatus to function autonomously.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 12 wherein the toxin detection module comprises one or more capture devices configured to automatically capture the one or more specific toxins from the fluid sample.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 13 wherein the toxin detection module further comprises an optical detection module configured to automatically optically detect the presence of the captured one or more specific toxins within the one or more capture devices.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 12 further comprising an archive module to automatically store the fluid sample.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a distribution module configured to automatically meter and to automatically distribute the first portion of the fluid sample to the toxin detection module, to automatically meter and to automatically distribute the second portion of the fluid sample to the nucleic acid detection module, and to automatically meter and to automatically distribute a third portion of the fluid sample to the archive module.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 12 wherein the air collection device is further configured to continuously intake ambient air and to periodically output a new fluid sample to be processed by the toxin detection module and the nucleic acid detection module.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 12 wherein the nucleic acid detection module comprises a lysis module configured to automatically lyse one or more cell types within the fluid sample, thereby forming a lysate fluid sample.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 18 wherein the nucleic acid detection module further comprises a purification device configured to automatically capture one or more nucleic acids from the lysate fluid sample.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 19 wherein the nucleic acid detection module further comprises a thermal cycling module coupled to the purification device to receive the one or more nucleic acids and configured to automatically thermally cycle the one or more nucleic acids, thereby forming an amplified fluid sample including an amplified number of each of the one or more nucleic acids.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 20 further comprising an optical detection module coupled to the thermal cycling module and configured to automatically optically detect the presence of the one or more specific nucleic acids within the amplified fluid sample.

### Claim 22

A detection apparatus to detect the presence of one or more different types of particles, the integrated detection apparatus comprises:
a. an air collection device configured to intake ambient air including airborne particles and to output a fluid sample including the particles;
b. a distribution module configured to meter and to distribute a first portion of the fluid sample, and to meter and to distribute a second portion of the fluid sample;
c. a toxin detection module configured to detect the presence of one or more specific toxins within the first portion of the fluid sample; and
d. a nucleic acid detection module configured to detect the presence of one or more specific nucleic acids within the second portion of the fluid sample, wherein the toxin detection module and the nucleic acid detection module are configured to process the first portion of the fluid sample and the second portion of the fluid sample in parallel.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The detection apparatus of claim 22 wherein the toxin detection module comprises one or more capture devices configured to capture the one or more specific toxins from the first portion of the fluid sample.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The detection apparatus of claim 23 wherein the toxin detection module further comprises an optical detection module configured to optically detect the presence of the captured one or more specific toxins within the one or more capture devices.

### Claim 25 (depends on 22)

The detection apparatus of claim 22 wherein the distribution module is further configured to meter and to distribute a third portion of the fluid sample, and the detection apparatus further comprises an archive module to store the third portion of the fluid sample.

### Claim 26 (depends on 22)

The detection apparatus of claim 22 wherein the air collection device is further configured to continuously intake ambient air and to periodically output a new fluid sample to be metered and distributed by the distribution module and to be processed by the toxin detection module and the nucleic acid detection module.

### Claim 27 (depends on 22)

The detection apparatus of claim 22 wherein the nucleic acid detection module comprises a lysis module configured to lyse one or more cell types within the second portion of the fluid sample, thereby forming a lysate fluid sample.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The detection apparatus of claim 27 wherein the nucleic acid detection module further comprises one or more purification devices configured to capture the one or more nucleic acids from the lysate fluid sample.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The detection apparatus of claim 28 wherein the nucleic acid detection module further comprises a thermal cycling module coupled to the purification device to receive the one or more nucleic acids and configured to thermally cycle the one or more nucleic acids, thereby forming an amplified fluid sample including an amplified number of each of the one or more nucleic acids.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The detection apparatus of claim 29 further comprising an optical detection module coupled to the thermal cycling module and configured to optically detect the presence of the one or more specific nucleic acids within the amplified fluid sample.

### Claim 31 (depends on 1)

The detection apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a control module configured to control the operation of the air collection device, the toxin detection module, and the nucleic acid detection module.

### Claim 32

An integrated and autonomously functioning detection apparatus to detect the presence of one or more different types of particles, the integrated detection apparatus comprises:
a. an air collection device configured to automatically intake ambient air including airborne particles and to automatically output a fluid sample including the particles;
b. a distribution module configured to meter and to distribute a first portion of the fluid sample, and to meter and to distribute a second portion of the fluid sample;
c. a toxin detection module configured to automatically detect the presence of one or more specific toxins within the first portion of the fluid sample;
d. a nucleic acid detection module configured to automatically detect the presence of one or more specific nucleic acids within the second portion of the fluid sample, wherein the toxin detection module and the nucleic acid detection module are configured to process the first portion of the fluid sample and the second portion of the fluid sample in parallel;
e. microfluidic circuitry to couple the air collection device, the toxin detection module, and the nucleic acid detection module within the detection apparatus; and
f. a control module configured to provide control signals to the air collection device, the toxin detection module, and the nucleic acid detection module to enable the detection apparatus to function autonomously.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The integrated and autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 32 wherein the toxin detection module comprises one or more capture devices configured to capture the one or more specific toxins from the first portion of the fluid sample.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

The integrated and autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 33 wherein the toxin detection module further comprises an optical detection module configured to optically detect the presence of the captured one or more specific toxins within the one or more capture devices.

### Claim 35 (depends on 32)

The integrated and autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 32 wherein the distribution module is further configured to meter and to distribute a third portion of the fluid sample, and the detection apparatus further comprises an archive module to store the third portion of the fluid sample.

### Claim 36 (depends on 32)

The integrated and autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 32 wherein the air collection device is further configured to continuously intake ambient air and to periodically output a new fluid sample to be processed by the toxin detection module and the nucleic acid detection module.

### Claim 37 (depends on 32)

The integrated and autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 32 wherein the nucleic acid detection module comprises a lysis module configured to lyse one or more cell types within the second portion of the fluid sample, thereby forming a lysate fluid sample.

### Claim 38 (depends on 37)

The integrated and autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 37 wherein the nucleic acid detection module further comprises one or more purification devices configured to capture one or more nucleic acids from the lysate fluid sample.

### Claim 39 (depends on 38)

The integrated and autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 38 wherein the nucleic acid detection module further comprises a thermal cycling module coupled to the purification device to receive the one or more nucleic acids and configured to thermally cycle the one or more nucleic acids, thereby forming an amplified fluid sample including an amplified number of each of the one or more nucleic acids.

### Claim 40 (depends on 39)

The integrated and autonomously functioning detection apparatus of claim 39 further comprising an optical detection module coupled to the thermal cycling module and configured to optically detect the presence of the one or more specific nucleic acids within the amplified fluid sample.

### Claim 41

A network of devices to detect the presence of one or more different types of particles, the network of devices comprising:
a. a network monitoring point; and
b. one or more detection devices coupled to the network monitoring point, each detection device is configured to detect the presence of one or more types of particles and to provide an alarm signal to the network monitoring point upon detection of the one or more types of particles, each detection apparatus comprises:
i. an air collection device configured to intake ambient air including airborne particles and to output a fluid sample including the particles;
ii. a toxin detection module configured to process a first portion of the fluid sample to detect the presence of one or more specific toxins;
iii. a nucleic acid detection module configured to process a second portion of the fluid sample to detect the presence of one or more specific nucleic acids, wherein the nucleic acid detection module processes the second portion of the fluid sample concurrently with the toxin detection module processing the first portion of the fluid sample; and
iii. a control module configured to provide control signals to the air collection device, the toxin detection module, and the nucleic acid detection module and to provide the alarm signal to the network monitoring point.

### Claim 42 (depends on 41)

The network of devices of claim 41 wherein the toxin detection module comprises one or more capture devices configured to capture the one or more specific toxins from the fluid sample.

### Claim 43 (depends on 42)

The network of devices of claim 42 wherein the toxin detection module further comprises an optical detection module configured to optically detect the presence of the captured one or more specific toxins within the one or more capture devices.

### Claim 44 (depends on 41)

The network of devices of claim 41 further comprising an archive module to store the fluid sample.

### Claim 45 (depends on 44)

The network of devices of claim 44 further comprising a distribution module configured to meter and to distribute the first portion of the fluid sample to the toxin detection module, to meter and to distribute the second portion of the fluid sample to the nucleic acid detection module, and to meter and to distribute a third portion of the fluid sample to the archive module.

### Claim 46 (depends on 41)

The network of devices of claim 41 wherein the air collection device is further configured to continuously intake ambient air and to periodically output a new fluid sample to be processed by the toxin detection module and the nucleic acid detection module.

### Claim 47 (depends on 41)

The network of devices of claim 41 wherein the nucleic acid detection module comprises a lysis module configured to lyse one or more cell types within the fluid sample, thereby forming a lysate fluid sample.

### Claim 48 (depends on 47)

The network of devices of claim 47 wherein the nucleic acid detection module further comprises one or more purification devices configured to capture one or more nucleic acids from the lysate fluid sample.

### Claim 49 (depends on 48)

The network of devices of claim 48 wherein the nucleic acid detection module further comprises a thermal cycling module coupled to the purification device to receive the one or more nucleic acids and configured to thermally cycle the one or more nucleic acids, thereby forming an amplified fluid sample including an amplified number of each of the one or more nucleic acids.

### Claim 50 (depends on 49)

The network of devices of claim 49 further comprising an optical detection module coupled to the thermal cycling module and configured to optically detect the presence of the one or more specific nucleic acids within the amplified fluid sample.

### Claim 51 (depends on 1)

The integrated detection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the toxin detection module processes the first portion of the fluid sample and detects the presence of one or more specific toxins, and the nucleic acid detection module processes the second portion of the fluid sample and detects the presence of one or more specific nucleic acids, independent of prior analysis performed on some or all of the particles collected from the ambient air.

### Claim 52 (depends on 1)

The integrated detection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the air collection device comprises:
a. a first level detection device configured to interrogate the ambient air for the presence of one or more different types of airborne biological particles, wherein the first level detection device is further configured to generate a trigger signal in response to detecting one or more of the different types of airborne biological particles; and
b. a fluid interface configured to receive airborne particles within the ambient air interrogated by the first level detection device and to collect the particles within a fluid, thereby forming the fluid sample.

### Claim 53 (depends on 1)

The integrated detection apparatus of claim 1 wherein portions of every fluid sample are processed by both the nucleic acid detection module and the toxin detection module.