Collection and treatment of a biofluid sample

Abstract

A system can facilitate pre-treatment a biofluid sample for various applications for monitoring and/or tracking a subject's health. The system includes a sample collection component that can collect the biofluid sample. The system also includes a mixing component that includes a media with a material. Upon adding the biofluid sample to the mixing component, the biofluid sample mixes with the media. The system also includes a filter component that can filter the media from the biofluid sample. After the media is filtered from the biofluid sample, the biofluid sample can be provided to an analyte analysis application.

The following is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 adding a biofluid sample to a media comprising a carbon-containing material, wherein the biofluid sample comprises a liquid, an analyte and at least one contaminant;   mixing the biofluid sample and the media to reduce a concentration of the at least one contaminant in the biofluid sample;   filtering the media from the biofluid sample,   wherein the mixing and/or the filtering uses a mechanical mechanism; and   providing the biofluid sample for analysis.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis comprises the detecting the analyte in the biofluid sample. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon-containing material eliminates at least a portion of the at least one contaminant in the biofluid sample. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon-containing material comprises activated charcoal, activated carbon, carbon black, graphite, graphene, oxidized graphene, and/or reduced graphene. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising collecting the biofluid sample, wherein the biofluid sample comprises a bodily fluid. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the bodily fluid comprises tears, saliva, urine, serum, plasma, and/or blood. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the analysis comprises detecting an amount of the analyte in the biofluid sample using an enzyme-based process. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the enzyme-based process detects the amount of the analyte in the biofluid sample using a colorimetric detection mechanism, a photometric detection mechanism or an electrochemical detection mechanism. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon-containing material is bound to and/or bound within at least a portion of the media, wherein at least the portion of the media comprises at least one of a ceramic material, a metallic material, a polymer material, and a paper material. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the filtering comprises passing the media and the biofluid sample through a physical filter membrane to remove the media from the biofluid sample. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the physical filter membrane comprises cellulose acetate (CA), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), Teflon, nylon, paper, and/or glass. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mechanical mechanism is centrifugal force, pressure, and/or flow. 
     
     
         13 . A system comprising:
 a mixing component comprising a media with a carbon-containing material, wherein the mixing component is configured such that upon adding a biofluid sample, the biofluid sample mixes with the media to remove at least a portion of a contaminant;   a filter component configured to filter the media from the biofluid sample,   wherein the biofluid sample is provided to an analysis component after the media is filtered from the biofluid sample to detect an analyte in the biofluid sample.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the biofluid sample is collected by a sample collection component and comprises the analyte and the contaminant. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the carbon-containing material eliminates at least a portion of the contaminant in the biofluid sample, wherein the contaminant has a negative effect on detection of the analyte in the biofluid sample. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the analysis component is configured to perform the detection of the analyte in the biofluid sample. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the mixing component and/or the filter component employs a mechanical mechanism,
 wherein the mechanical mechanism is centrifugal force, pressure, and/or flow.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising a sample collection component configured to collect the biofluid sample, wherein the sample collection component comprises a cup, a swab, or a foam to collect the biofluid sample. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the carbon-containing material is bound to and/or bound within at least a portion of the media,
 wherein at least the portion of the media comprises at least one of a ceramic material, a metallic material, a polymer material, and a paper material.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the filter component comprises a physical filter membrane to remove the media from the biofluid sample,
 wherein the physical filter membrane comprises cellulose acetate (CA), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), Teflon, nylon, paper, and/or glass.