Devices, systems, and methods for measuring a solution characteristic of a sample comprising microorganisms

Inventors

BUIE, CREIGHTON T. • SHAH, Hima • RAJAN, Nitin K. • WAHBA, Ashraf M. • KNOPFMACHER, Oren S. • Herget, Meike

Assignees

Avails Medical Inc

Abstract

Various apparatus, systems, and methods for measuring a solution characteristic of a sample comprising microorganisms are disclosed. In one embodiment, a sensor apparatus is disclosed comprising a sample container comprising a sample chamber configured to receive the sample and a reference sensor component comprising a reference conduit having a reference conduit cavity defined therein. The reference conduit cavity can be at least partially filled with a reference buffer gel, buffer solution, or wicking component. A segment of the reference conduit can extend into the sample chamber. A reference electrode material can be positioned at a proximal end of the wicking component or extend partially into the reference conduit cavity. The sensor apparatus can also comprise an active sensor component having an active electrode in fluid contact with the sample. The sample in the sample chamber can be aerated through an aeration port defined along a surface of the sample container.

Core Innovation

The invention provides a reference sensor component that comprises a container cap removably coupled to a sample container configured to receive a sample. The container cap includes a reference conduit extending from an underside of the container cap and having a reference conduit cavity, and a wicking component is disposed within part of the reference conduit cavity.

The sample container includes an aeration port along a surface of the sample container, and the aeration port is configured to allow air to enter the sample container with an air-permeable membrane covering the aeration port. When the container cap is coupled to the sample container, at least part of the wicking component is configured to be in fluid contact with the sample such that at least some of the sample is drawn by the wicking component in a direction of a wick proximal end.

A reference electrode material is disposed at the wick proximal end. The reference electrode material is configured to exhibit a substantially stable electrode potential compared to an active electrode in electrical communication with the reference electrode material, and the disclosure addresses reference electrode arrangements for microorganism-containing samples while including aeration through an air-permeable membrane.

In the disclosed sensor systems, the reference sensor component supports measuring solution characteristics such as pH or ORP in microorganism-containing samples, including workflows involving antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST), and the disclosure includes comparison of ORP/pH performance with traditional KCl/Ag-AgCl reference systems.

Claims Coverage

The independent claim covers 4 inventive features, with dependent claims refining wicking and reference electrode details.

Across the independent claim and refinements, the inventive concept combines a reference conduit cavity and wicking component that draws sample to a proximal wick end, an aeration port with an air-permeable membrane, and a reference electrode material at the proximal wick end configured to provide a substantially stable electrode potential compared to an active electrode, with dependent claims further constraining wicking pore size, hydrophilicity treatment, material composition, and using a cured electrically-conductive ink with an upper volume limit.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications