A Method of Preparing an Organic Material Sample for LIBS Analysis and a Searing Device for Use in the Same An organic material sample is prepared for LIBS analysis by loading a sample pellet (508) comprising a compressed granular organic matrix into a holder (506) of a searing device (500) with an exposed surface (510) of the sample pellet (508) accessible to optical and to thermal radiation; searing the sample pellet (508) by directing thermal radiation from a heating unit (504) to the exposed surface (510); directing optical radiation from a reflectance unit (514) to the exposed surface (510) and measuring searing induced changes in the reflectance of the exposed surface (510); and controlling the heating unit (504) to direct thermal radiation to the exposed surface (510) for a time calculated by a data processor (516) in dependence of the measured searing induced changes in the reflectance.
G01N 1/44 - Sample treatment involving radiation, e.g. heat
G01N 21/71 - Systems in which the material investigated is excited whereby it emits light or causes a change in wavelength of the incident light thermally excited
2.
SAMPLE TEST CASSETTE AND ANALYTE TEST SYSTEM UTILIZING THE SAME
A sample test cassette (2) comprising an inlet (4) for introducing a sample liquid into the sample test cassette (2); and one or more elongate channels (8), each for receiving an elongate lateral flow test strip (10) and each configured with a first end (16) in liquid communication with the inlet (4); wherein the sample test cassette (2) further comprises an integral mechanical transport system (12) operable to generate a flow of liquid from outside of the inlet (4) and towards the first end (16) of each of the one or more elongate channels (8).
A hydrodynamic focusing device, preferably realized as a microfluidic device, comprises a first flow channel (4); a smaller second flow channel (8); an envelopment region (12) connected in-line between the first (4) and the second (8) flow channels; and a chimney (14) comprising a body (16) and a sample fluid inlet (18), which extends from a, preferably sloped, wall (20) delimiting the envelopment region (12) and into the envelopment region (12). The body (16) and the sample fluid inlet (18) are each formed with an elongate, preferably teardrop-shaped, profile having a leading edge (28) facing the first flow channel (4) and opposing long edges (30a, 30b) relatively tapered towards a trailing edge (32).
A method for determining an optical pathlength (L) of a cuvette of a spectrophotometric apparatus comprising: obtaining (720) a single beam spectrum (SBZ) of a liquid zero-material at least in a first energy region in which the liquid zero-material absorbs; obtaining (740) a single beam spectrum (SB2) of a second liquid at least in the first energy region, the second liquid having a composition excluding the liquid zero-material and having no absorption in the first energy region; determining (760) a dual beam spectrum (DBZ) of the liquid zero-material relative to the second liquid at least in the first energy region from the two obtained single beam spectra (SBZ; SB2); and calculating (780) an optical pathlength (L) through the cuvette dependant on spectral information obtained from the first energy region of the determined dual beam spectrum (DBZ).
A method of correcting for an amplitude change in a spectrometric instrument (300) output due to changes in an optical path length through the sample holder (600), the method comprising: exposing a sample in a sample holder (600) to electromagnetic radiation at a plurality of wavenumbers; detecting electromagnetic absorption intensities in the sample at the plurality of wavenumbers; providing to a computer device (510) the detected absorption intensities indexed against wavenumber as spectral data; and applying in the computer device (510) a mathematical transform (lcorr) to the spectral data to correct for an amplitude change in the spectrometric instrument's (300) output and calculated by determining a difference (?(SBz)') between absorbance values at two different wavenumber ranges in a first derivative of spectral data (SBz1) from a zero material sample; and calculating the mathematical transform (lcorr) as a function inversely dependent on the determined difference (?(SBz)')
G01N 21/27 - Colour; Spectral properties, i.e. comparison of effect of material on the light at two or more different wavelengths or wavelength bands using photo-electric detection
G01N 21/3554 - Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry using infrared light for determining moisture content
A milk analyser (400) comprising a milk analysis unit (402) having an analysis modality wherein the milk analysis unit (402) further comprises a milk classification system (404) having an imaging device (4042, 4044) configured to image milk for generation of digital image data; a processor (3044) of a computing device (304) which is adapted to execute a program code to implement a deep learning neural network classifier trained using labelled milk images from milk within the classes into which the imaged milk may be classified and operable to generate a classification of the imaged milk; and a controller (3066) configured to output a control signal in dependence of the generated classification to control a sample intake (4022) to regulate the supply of milk to the analysis unit (402).
7.
A SAMPLING DEVICE, A SYSTEM COMPRISING THE SAMPLING DEVICE AND A METHOD
A sampling device comprises a receptacle (22) having an inner material receiving space (40) defined by a side wall portion (36) and a bottom wall portion (38) and having a receptacle opening (42); and a sample container (10') being adapted to close the receptacle opening (42) when collocated with the receptacle (22), and includes: a sample receiving portion (14) which, when collocated with the receptacle (22) is located in liquid communication with the inner material receiving space (40); a sample well (18) positioned radially outside of the sample receiving portion (14) in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis (A), the sample well having a well opening; a liquid passageway (16) for directing liquid from the sample receiving portion (14) towards the well opening; a container (20) having a container opening; and a liquid impermeable barrier (8'; 44) for preventing liquid entering the container opening from the sample receiving portion (14).
A device for performing a lateral flow assay (2) comprises: - a receptacle (4) having a bottom wall portion (14) closing a first end of the receptacle (4) to delimit an inner material receiving space (16) and having a receptacle opening (18) at a second end opposite the first end; - a compartment (8) for holding a lateral flow assay test strip (56), the compartment (8) having a lower portion (38) located closer to the first end of the receptacle (4) than to the second end; - a liquid passageway (10) in fluid communication with the inner material receiving space (16) and the lower portion (38); and - a lid (6) adapted to overlay the receptacle opening (18) and comprising a body portion (20) having an outer periphery (22);wherein - a sample receiving portion (24) is located in said body portion (20) and is arranged in liquid communication with the inner material receiving space (16); and wherein - the liquid passageway (10) is delimited by a first opening (40) into the lower portion (38) of the compartment (8) and a second opening (26) in the lid (6).
A system (2) for accepting or rejecting a container (4) containing a meat batch comprises a reader (8) and a controller (12) cooperating to effect the acceptance or the rejection of the meat batch. The reader (8) is configured to interrogate a machine readable tag attached to the container (4) to retrieve information stored thereon into the controller (12) which is configured to respond to the information retrieved by the reader (8) to access batch information comprising at least information indicative of a fat content of the meat batch, to compare the batch information with a criterion of a recipe related to a target fat content to determine a suitability of the meat batch for inclusion in a mix meeting the recipe, and to generate a control signal dependent the determination usable to effect acceptance or rejection of the meat batch as appropriate to the determination.
Determination of Analytes in a Sample Matrix by Solvent Extraction A method for the assay of one or more analytes in a sample matrix comprising the steps of: performing analyte extraction on the sample matrix, said analyte extraction comprising combining the sample matrix with a solvent for an extraction period which is less than that required for reaching equilibrium; and separating the analyte containing solvent from the sample matrix; next measuring a level of analyte present in the separated solvent; and then applying in a computer a calibration by which is established a mathematical relationship between levels of analyte extracted from each of a plurality of reference samples by means of the process employed above in the extraction for the sample matrix and a reference value of the levels of analyte for each reference sample to thereby derive a measure of the level of analyte in the sample matrix. Specifically a method to determine the amount of mycotoxins in cereal grain, especially OTA (ochratoxin A) and DON (deoxynivalenol) by mixing with a solvent comprising water alcohol mixture, with 20-40% ethanol by volume.
A liquid analyzer (2) comprises a liquid sample intake (4) for immersion in a liquid sample (6); at least one measurement zone (16;16'); and a first pump module (P1) operable to effect liquid flow from sample intake (4) towards the at least one measurement zone (16;16'). A first pressure monitor (36) is provided to measure pressure between the sample intake (4) and the at least one measurement zone (16'16') and the operation of the first pump module (P1) to regulate the liquid flow in the liquid conduits (22) is regulated in dependence thereon.
G01N 21/35 - Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry using infrared light
12.
MEAT PROCESSING DEVICE INCORPORATING AN X-RAY ANALYZER
A meat processing device comprises a meat processing unit (2) and an external X-ray meat analyzer (6) provided with a housing (8) formed with an inlet (16) connectable with an outlet (4) of the processing unit (2). The housing (8) provides complete shielding of personnel from X-rays except towards the inlet (16) and is movable relative to the processing unit (2) to a first position for analysis at which the unit outlet (4) is collocated with the inlet (16) and at which the processing unit (2) completes the shielding of personnel from X-rays towards the inlet (16).
A22C 17/00 - Other devices for processing meat or bones
G01N 23/02 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of wave or particle radiation, e.g. X-rays or neutrons, not covered by groups , or by transmitting the radiation through the material
13.
METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CORRECTING FOR INTENSITY DEVIATIONS IN A SPECTROMETER
A method of determining a pathlength deviation of a sample (610), the method comprising: exposing the sample (610) to electromagnetic radiation at a plurality of wavenumbers, determining electromagnetic absorption in the sample (610) at the plurality of wavenumbers, determining a first wavenumber associated with a first absorption level of an absorption band and a second wavenumber associated with a second absorption level of the absorption band, wherein the second wavenumber is different from the first wavenumber, determining a difference between the first wavenumber and the second wavenumber, and determining the pathlength deviation based on the difference.
G01N 21/27 - Colour; Spectral properties, i.e. comparison of effect of material on the light at two or more different wavelengths or wavelength bands using photo-electric detection
A spectrometric instrument (38) comprising: a scanning interferometer (40,42,44) having a beamsplitter (40) for dividing incident optical radiation into a reflected beam, following a reflected beam path and a transmitted beam following a transmitted beam path; a monochromatic optical radiation source (52) for launching a reference beam into the interferometer (40,42,44) along a first propagation path (62) to be initially incident on a first face (40') of the beamsplitter (40); an observation optical radiation source (46) for launching a divergent observation beam (64) into the interferometer (4,6,8) along a second propagation path (66) to be initially incident on the first face (40') of beamsplitter (40) and overlap the reference beam at the first face (40'); wherein the radiation sources (52;46) cooperate to generate a first angle (.theta.) between the directions of propagation of the two beams along respective first (62) and second (66) propagation paths when initially and simultaneously incident at the first face (40') which is larger than a divergence half--angle (.alpha.) of the observation beam 64.
A system for the measurement of free and bound SO2 in a liquid beverage product sample comprising a sample container (10) having a volume sufficient to provide a headspace (14) above the sample (12) into which a gas can pass; a gas flow system (6) adapted to extract gas from the headspace (14) and recirculating it back into the liquid volume (12); a measurement system (4) configured to monitor a time dependent evolution of SO2 in gas from the gas flow system (6); and a dosing apparatus (8) fluidly connected to the container (10) to supply an hydrolysis reagent thereto. A heater unit (3) is provided for supplying thermal radiation into the container (10) to elevate the temperature of sample therein sufficient to facilitate the hydrolysis reaction and a signal processor (30) operates to deconvolute the monitored evolution to generate an indication of the concentration of each of the free SO2 and the total SO2 content of the sample.
A method of determining components of a flowing heterogeneous sample comprising obtaining a sample of material; measuring mid-infrared attenuation values of the sample and calculating in a data processing unit an indication of the component of interest in the sample from the measured mid-infrared attenuation values characterised in that the method further comprises flowing the sample; concurrently interacting mid-infrared radiation with the flowing sample in a measurement region and subsequently measuring the mid-infrared attenuation values for one or more wavebands of the interacted radiation.
G01N 21/35 - Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry using infrared light
G01N 21/3577 - Investigating relative effect of material at wavelengths characteristic of specific elements or molecules, e.g. atomic absorption spectrometry using infrared light for analysing liquids, e.g. polluted water
A method for determining a degree of infection comprising the steps of i) preparing an un-isolated sample by adding a differentiating marker, suitably a meta-chromatic stain such as, for example, acridine orange to mammalian milk in an amount sufficient to provide a differentiation between cell types; ii) measuring a differential somatic cell count on the sample by means of a cytometer having a detection system sensitive to differences in the differentiating marker resulting from the marker becoming differently associated with different cell types in the sample; and iii) determining an indication of a degree of infection dependent on the measured differential cell count.
A probe is provided having a probe head (2) in which is formed an opening (10) for receiving a sample to be analysed. The head (2) comprises a pair of optical interfaces (16; 18), each disposed at a respective opposing inner surface (20; 22) of the opening (10) to delimit a path (26) for optical radiation through the opening (10). At least one of the pair of optical interfaces (18) comprises an element (32) transparent to the optical radiation in the wavelength region(s) of interest and is disposed to permit the optical radiation to travel between internal (28) the probe head and the opening (10). The probe further comprises a movable diaphragm (24) in which a one (18) of the pair of optical interfaces (16; 18) is located for movement therewith and an actuator (46) is located within the probe head (2) and in operable connection to the diaphragm (24) to control its movement so as to vary the path length of the path (26) for optical radiation.
An apparatus for spectrophotometric analysis comprises a sample reception surface, which is arranged to receive a sample to be analysed, and a sample contacting surface, which is moveable in relation to the sample reception surface such that it may be brought to a first position, where the surfaces are sufficiently far apart to allow the sample to be placed on the sample reception surface, and a second position, where the sample contacting surface makes contact with the sample and compresses the sample. The apparatus further comprises a sample thickness controller, which is arranged to control the distance between the sample reception surface and the sample contacting surface in the second position of the sample contacting surface, such that a sample thickness between the surfaces may be shifted for obtaining at least two measurements of the sample at different optical path lengths through the sample.
patents
