Preparation of samples for analysis and sampling device therefor

Abstract

A sampling device comprising a body that defines a fluid flow path from an inlet opening, wherein the flow path includes a bed of a porous polymer monolith selected to adsorb bioparticles from a matrix drawn or dispensed through the inlet opening and the bed.

1 . A sampling device comprising a body that defines a fluid flow path from an inlet opening, wherein the flow path includes a bed of a porous polymer monolith selected to adsorb bioparticles from a matrix drawn or dispensed through the inlet opening and the bed. 
     
     
         2 . A device according to  claim 1  wherein said body is a tubular body and the bed is a plug of the porous polymer monolith that fills a cross-section of the flow path. 
     
     
         3 . A sampling device according to  claim 2  wherein the bed is formed in situ by initiation of a polymerisation mixture within said body. 
     
     
         4 . A sampling device according to  claim 3  wherein said initiation is by ultraviolet radiation. 
     
     
         5 . A sampling device according to  claim 2  wherein the porous polymer monolith is a result of polymerisation of one or more monomers in the presence of two or more porogens. 
     
     
         6 . A sampling device according to  claim 5  wherein the monomers are methacrylates and the porogens include an alcohol and an alkane. 
     
     
         7 . A sampling device according to  claim 2  wherein the porous monomer monolith is selected to adsorb at least red blood cells from whole or buffered blood. 
     
     
         8 . A sampling device according to  claim 7  wherein the porous polymer monolith is selected to additionally adsorb white blood cells and platelets from the whole or buffered blood whereby to obtain a cell-free plasma or plasma-like fraction. 
     
     
         9 . A sampling device according to  claim 1  wherein the porous polymer monolith is a result of polymerisation of one or more monomers in the presence of two or more porogens. 
     
     
         10 . A sampling device according to  claim 1  comprising a pipette tip. 
     
     
         11 . A sampling device according to  claim 1  comprising a cartridge adapted for solid phase extraction (SPE). 
     
     
         12 . A method of preparing for analysis a matrix containing bioparticles, comprising:
 drawing or dispensing a volume of the matrix along a flow path defined by a sampling body through a bed of porous polymer monolith in the flow path, which bed is of sufficient length along the flow path whereby the bed adsorbs the bioparticles and a sub-volume of the matrix substantially free of the bioparticles remains adjacent to the bioparticles in the sampling body; and   recovering matrix from the sub-volume for analysis.   
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12  wherein said body is a tubular body and the bed is a plug of the porous polymer monolith that fills a cross-section of the flow path. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 12  including forming the bed in situ by initiation of a polymerisation mixture within said body. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14  wherein said initiation is by ultraviolet radiation. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 12  wherein the porous polymer monolith is a result of polymerisation of two or more monomers in the presence of two or more porogens. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16  wherein the monomers are methacrylates and the porogens include an alcohol and an alkane. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 12  wherein the porous monomer monolith is selected to adsorb at least red blood cells from whole or buffered blood. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18  wherein the porous polymer monolith is selected to additionally adsorb white blood cells and platelets from the whole or buffered blood whereby to obtain a cell-free plasma or plasma-like fraction. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein the porous polymer monolith is a result of polymerisation of two or more monomers in the presence of two or more porogens.