Sample extraction apparatus with micro elution bed design

Abstract

An apparatus for extracting an analyte from a liquid sample having a container with an entrance, an exit, and a passage therebetween for passage of a liquid sample containing an analyte, the container having a full diameter bed region and a reduced diameter bed region. The container includes a layered construction extending across the passage, having from top to bottom one or more of: (i) an upper flow distributor/support layer, (ii) an upper compression layer, (iii) an extraction layer of microparticulate extraction medium adjacent to the layer (ii), and (iv) a lower compression layer located adjacent to the extraction layer (iii), optionally including one or more air gap layers. At least some of the layers are located in the full diameter bed region, and some of the layers are located in the reduced diameter bed region. The apparatus may have a plurality of containers arranged in an array and/or in series so as to provide multi-stage filtration or extraction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for extracting an analyte from a liquid sample comprising:
 a first microcolumn comprising a first passage, a flow distributor layer extending across the first passage; and   a second microcolumn comprising a second passage, an extraction layer extending across the second microcolumn;   wherein, the first microcolumn positioned above and in series with the second microcolumn with the first passage in fluid communication with the second passage.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first passage of the first microcolumn comprises a first full diameter bed region and a first reduced diameter bed region, and the second passage of the second microcolumn comprises a second full diameter bed region and a second reduced diameter bed region. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the flow distributor layer is located in the first full diameter bed region of the first microcolumn, and the extraction layer is located in the second reduced diameter bed region of the second microcolumn. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the flow distributor layer is layered with a first compression layer to form a first layered construction, and the extraction layer is layered with a second compression layer to form a second layered construction. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the flow distributor layer is layered with a first compression layer to form a first layered construction. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the extraction layer is layered with a second compression layer to form a second layered construction. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of first microcolumns arranged in a first array and a plurality of second microcolumns arranged in a second array, the first array stacked atop the second array such that each of the plurality of first microcolumns is aligned with each of the plurality of second microcolumns. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of the first microcolumns are arrangeable on a first base to form the first array and the plurality of the second microcolumns are arrangeable on a second base to form the second array. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein a first top plate holds each of the first microcolumns in parallel and a second top plate holds each of the second microcolumns in parallel. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for extracting an analyte from a liquid sample comprising:
 a plurality of first microcolumns arranged in a first array, each of the plurality of first microcolumns comprising a first passage, a flow distributor layer extending across the first passage; and   a plurality of second microcolumns arranged in a second array, each of the plurality of second microcolumns comprising a second passage, an extraction layer extending across the second microcolumn;   wherein, the first array is stacked atop the second array such that each of the plurality of first microcolumns is aligned with each of the plurality of second microcolumns; and   wherein each of the plurality of first microcolumns is positioned above and in series with each of the plurality of second microcolumn with the first passage in fluid communication with the second passage in each instance.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of the first microcolumns are arrangeable on a first base to form the first array and the plurality of the second microcolumns are arrangeable on a second base to form the second array. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein a first top plate holds each of the first microcolumns in parallel and a second top plate holds each of the second microcolumns in parallel. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the first passage of the first microcolumn comprises a first full diameter bed region and a first reduced diameter bed region, and the second passage of the second microcolumn comprises a second full diameter bed region and a second reduced diameter bed region. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the flow distributor layer is located in the first full diameter bed region of the first microcolumn, and the extraction layer is located in the second reduced diameter bed region of the second microcolumn. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the flow distributor layer is layered with a first compression layer to form a first layered construction, and the extraction layer is layered with a second compression layer to form a second layered construction. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the flow distributor layer is layered with a first compression layer to form a first layered construction. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the extraction layer is layered with a second compression layer to form a second layered construction.