JPH0360062B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application This invention relates to an isokinetic electrophoresis device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a practically useful isotachophoresis device equipped with a conduit check function.

(b) Prior art In the isotachophoresis analysis method, a terminal electrolyte and a leading electrolyte are filled inside a migration tube, and a substance that can be charged, such as amino acids, peptides, and living organisms, is added to the interface between the two electrolytes. This is a method in which a sample such as a substance is injected and subjected to constant current electrophoresis, and the target substance is separated into a single zone based on the difference in mobility and detected with an appropriate detector. This method is suitable for trace analysis of

Conventionally, devices for carrying out the above method are known in which blocks such as a terminal electrolytic solution tank, a sample injection section, an electrophoresis tube, a potential gradient detector, and a leading electrolytic solution tank are connected in sequence through pipes. Usually, a tube (capillary tube) with a small diameter is used for the electrophoresis tube itself, and a tube with a small diameter made of Teflon material is often used for the connections between the blocks. As a result, problems such as the formation of dead volume at the connecting portion, which has an adverse effect on separation, and the inability to efficiently exchange the liquid, often occur. Furthermore, if the connection is tightened too tightly, the tube becomes constricted, which impairs the flow of the liquid or generates air bubbles during electrophoresis, forcing the analysis to be interrupted.

If a problem occurs due to an abnormality in the pipeline, it is necessary to find the location and correct it, but it is also necessary to determine whether the problem is actually caused by an abnormality in the pipeline, and to find out more specifically. It was necessary to inspect each conduit connection.

(c) Purpose This invention was made in view of the above situation, and is equipped with a function that allows it to be determined whether there is an abnormality in the pipe line and where the abnormality is located without inspecting the pipe line. The present invention is intended to provide an isotachophoresis analyzer with the following characteristics.

(D) Configuration According to the present invention, the terminal electrolyte tank, the sample injection part, the migration tube, the potential gradient detector, and the leading electrolyte tank are sequentially connected through a pipe, and each electrolyte tank is provided with an electrode. The isotachophoresis apparatus is equipped with a voltage detector that monitors the voltage between the two electrodes during electrophoresis, and a constant current voltage is applied between the two electrodes without injecting the sample from the sample injection port to increase the electrolytic solution. A constant velocity device that performs electrophoresis and is equipped with a control section for checking the conduit that can detect and display the presence or absence of an abnormality in the conduit or its position based on the change pattern of the output of the voltage detector during the electrophoresis. An electrophoresis device is provided.

(e) Examples Hereinafter, the isotachophoresis apparatus of the present invention will be explained with reference to examples.

Reference numeral 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a structural explanatory diagram showing a capillary type isotachophoresis apparatus of the present invention. In the figure, a capillary isotachophoresis device 1 includes a terminal electrolyte tank 2, a sample injection part 3, an electrophoresis tube 4 consisting of a Teflon (trade name) capillary reach tube (inner diameter approximately 0.2 to 1.0 mm), and a potential gradient detector. 5 and a leading electrolyte tank 6 are sequentially connected through a thin tube. Electrodes 21 and 61 are inserted into the electrolyte tanks 2 and 6, and these are connected to a power source 9. The power source 9 is a power source that can apply voltage under constant current. A voltage detector 7 is capable of constantly monitoring the voltage between the electrodes 21 and 61 when the power source 9 is applied, that is, during electrophoresis, and is equipped with an output terminal and connected to the conduit check control section 8.

The pipe line check control unit 8 includes a comparison calculation unit 81,
It is composed of an input console 82, a display 83, a power supply control terminal 84, and a potential gradient detector control terminal 85. The comparison calculation section 81 includes a data RAM section that stores in advance the pattern of voltage change when using a normal pipe line in the form of a function of time, and a data RAM section that stores the pattern of voltage change when checking the pipe line as a function of time. A RAM section that can store data on a sequential basis in the form of , a message ROM section that stores data corresponding to messages indicating the presence or absence of an abnormality and the location of the abnormality, and a voltage change between the normal pattern and the check pattern. A register that compares the rate of change (angle) of A microprocessor-based control circuit for displaying information on a display 83 is provided. Note that the data in the data RAM section corresponds to FIG. 3A.

Reference numeral 51 denotes a control unit that controls the potential gradient detector 5, and records the output from the detector 5 during normal electrophoresis, but when checking the pipe line, it records the output from the detector 5.
The detection operation is stopped by a signal from 5.

The operation of the above-mentioned isotachophoresis apparatus when checking the pipeline will be explained.

First, by selecting the tube check mode on the console 82, a control signal is sent through the terminal 84, and the electrophoresis voltage is applied without injecting the sample into the electrophoresis tube. As a result, only both electrolytes migrate, and in particular, the interface between the two electrolytes set near the sample injection section 3 moves toward the detector 5 through the migration tube.

At this time, for example, if the connection with the electrophoresis tube 4 in the connection block part 31 of the sample injection part 3 is normal as shown in FIG. 2A, the electrophoresis voltage will change as shown in FIG. ), the rising angle α ₁
shows an increase with no change except for the change to α ₂ and the occurrence of an inflection point P. The relationship between time and voltage at this time is stored in advance in the control section.

However, when connecting the migration tube 4 to the connection block part 31, if the migration tube is not fully inserted, the second
A dead volume B is generated as shown in Figure B. At this time, the pattern of the electrophoresis voltage obtained by the electrophoresis operation is as shown in Figure 3 (b), where the liquid resistance temporarily decreases due to the temporary increase in the tube diameter due to the dead volume B, and based on this, the applied voltage increases. The bending point P ₁ that occurs when the angle α ₁ decreases and the bending point P ₁ that occurs when returning to the tube diameter of the migration tube 4 are shown. The pattern at this time is monitored by the control unit 8,
In particular, the voltage change rate (rise angle) is calculated and compared with the voltage change rate under normal conditions.First, it is detected that the slope between points _P1 and _P2 is smaller than that under normal conditions. , for example, "dead volume"
Further, the position is calculated from the relationship between the electrophoresis time T and the above-mentioned point _P1 , and a message to be selected corresponding to this is displayed, for example, ``sample block-electrophoresis tube connection''.

On the other hand, if the connection fixture 32 is too tightly tightened at the connection portion, a constriction C will occur in the migration tube 4 as shown in FIG. 2C. At this time, the electrophoresis voltage pattern has an inflection point P ₅ with a sharp rise between the bending points P ₃ and P ₄ , as shown in Fig. 3 (c), because the liquid resistance increases due to the decrease in the tube diameter due to the constriction C. The pattern shows this. The pattern at this time is also monitored in the same way as above, the voltage change rate (rise angle) is calculated and compared, and P ₃ to P ₄
Detects that the slope of the point is larger than normal,
Furthermore, when the bending is detected, a message indicating, for example, ``constriction'' is displayed, and a message, for example, ``sample block-electrophoresis tube connection'' is displayed in the same manner as described above.

These pipe line check operations are performed on the connection between the electrophoresis tube and the potential gradient detector as well as on the electrophoresis tube itself. Depending on the case, it may be carried out for the entire pipe system.

Maintenance of the apparatus can be easily performed based on the information displayed in this manner, that is, the presence or absence of abnormality in the pipe line and the position display. Of course, if there is no abnormality, information indicating it, for example, "normal" will be displayed.

In the above embodiment, the voltage change in the conduit check control unit is treated as a function of time, but since it is under constant current, it can also be treated as a function of the amount of electricity in some cases. In addition, position determination is also performed in relation to time, and abnormalities such as dead volume and constrictions are intentionally set in advance and correspondingly determined, and the position is determined accordingly and the message is selected and displayed. It may be configured as follows.

(f) Effects As described above, the isotachophoresis apparatus of the present invention has the advantage that the pipes can be inspected before and after the sample is electrophoresed, and that abnormalities in the pipes can be easily checked. It is equipped with the following.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration explanatory diagram showing one embodiment of the isokinetic electrophoresis device of the present invention, FIG. , B, and C are graphs showing patterns of voltage changes during a pipe line check corresponding to FIG. 2, A, B, and C, respectively. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Capillary isotachophoresis device, 2... Terminal electrolyte tank, 3... Sample injection section, 4... Electrophoresis tube, 5... Potential gradient detector, 6... Leading electrolyte tank, 7... ... Voltage detector, 8 ... Pipe check control section, 9 ... Power supply, 21, 61 ... Electrode, 8
1...Comparison calculation section, 82...Input operation console, 83...
...Display, 84...Power control terminal, 85...
...Potential gradient detector control terminal.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Terminal electrolyte tank, sample injection section, migration tube,
In an isotachophoresis apparatus in which a potential gradient detector and a leading electrolyte tank are connected in sequence through a pipe line, and each electrolyte tank is equipped with an electrode, a voltage detector is installed to monitor the voltage between the two electrodes during electrophoresis. At the same time, the electrolyte is electrophoresed by applying a constant current voltage between the two electrodes without injecting the sample from the sample injection port, and the electrolyte is detected in the conduit based on the change pattern of the output of the voltage detector during the electrophoresis. 1. A constant velocity electrophoresis device comprising a conduit check control unit capable of detecting and displaying the presence or absence of an abnormality and its position.