Abstract:
A method for producing a pelletized material includes mixing a media powder with a treated water, the treated water comprising an additive for substantially preventing bacterial contamination, pouring a mixture of the media powder and the treated water on a non-binding surface, spreading the mixture into a wafer, drying the wafer, and grinding the wafer to produce the pelletized material.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This is a Continuation Application of U.S. patent application Ser. 12/278,184, filed Aug. 4, 2009, which is a U.S. National Stage Application of PCT/US2007/003049, filed on Feb. 5, 2007 in the U.S. Receiving Office, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/764,959, filed on Feb. 3, 2006, which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to chemical/biological assays, and more particularly to a rapid dissolve media for testing aqueous samples. 
         [0004]    2. Discussion of Related Art 
         [0005]    Available reagents for testing for the presence of microbial agents are dry powders. These dry powders have certain characteristic dissolving and off-gassing properties. 
         [0006]    Some solutions to be tested contain high amounts of dissolved solids such as salts and protein contained in human urine specimens. Another problem is that the solutions to be tested may need to be chilled to preserve microbiologic profile by slowing microbial replication rates. In such cases, the dissolving of a fixed amount of standard media powders such as TSB in a fixed volume of liquid can take longer than the time needed for starting an analysis. Unless dissolved, methods for properly measuring the sample solution may be compromised because the undissolved media acts as a barrier to light transmittance by forming a clump of undissolved media. 
         [0007]    Therefore, a need exists for a reagent having improved dissolving and off-gassing characteristics. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for producing a pelletized material includes mixing a media powder with a treated water, the treated water comprising an additive for substantially preventing bacterial contamination, pouring a mixture of the media powder and the treated water on a non-binding surface, spreading the mixture into a wafer, drying the wafer, and grinding the wafer to produce the pelletized material. 
         [0009]    According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a pelletized material includes a triptic-soy broth powder that dissolves in less than about one minute. 
         [0010]    According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a system for dosing a plurality of ampoules includes a tray disposed above the plurality of ampoules, the tray comprising a first plurality of holes corresponding to the plurality of ampoules disposed there-beneath, each of the first plurality of holes having a size for receiving a predetermined dose of a material, and a board is disposed between the first plurality of holes and the plurality of ampoules, blocking a bottom of the first plurality of holes, wherein the board is movable in a direction substantially parallel to a plane of the board to clear a space between the first plurality of holes and the plurality of ampoules. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in more detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a flow chart of a method for manufacturing a palletized material according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0013]    FIGS.  2 Ai-Di are a series of diagrams illustrating an operation of a filler tray according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0014]    FIGS.  2 Aii-Dii are a series of diagrams illustrating an operation of a filler tray showing a side view of FIGS.  2 Ai-Di, respectively. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0015]    According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a dry powder media is reconstituted into a pellet format that possesses improved dissolvability and emits reduced gas while going into solution then the dry powder. 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  shows a method for manufacturing a palletized material according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a media powder, such as commercially available TSB (triptic-soy broth) powder, is mixed with a halogenated (e.g., chlorinated) water (about 0.5 parts-per-million (ppm)) until a paste like material is produced  100 . While chlorine is known to impede bacterial growth, at sufficiently low doses bacteria is substantially prevented from contaminating media, e.g., TSB. Iodide or bromine may also be used to reduce the likelihood of media contamination. Additional additives such as other halogens may be used, wherein the additives are water dissolvable. A mixture of media powder and the halogenated water can be prepared without the use binders, mass agents, etc. 
         [0018]    A mixing operation is performed  101 , e.g., using a high-speed blender, wherein an affective amount of air is entrained into the paste. The air affects drying time and the structure of the resulting pallet and thus dissolving characteristics. Different speeds can be used to produce different characteristics. The mixed material is poured on a non-binding surface such as Teflon®, wax paper, release paper or the like  102 . After pouring and before drying can occur, the material is spread into a flat wafer having an average thickness of about 3-10 millimeters (mm)  103  The thickness of 3-10 mm is a wet thickness; the material contracts slightly as it dries. The thickness is selected to balance drying characteristics with pellet size (e.g., thinner spreads yield faster and more consistent drying, while thicker spreads yield larger pellets), such that each pellet is consistently dry. Larger pellets can be dosed more quickly and at less expense than powdered media, for example, powdered media tends to stick to dosing apparatus and clog pipettes and the like. 
         [0019]    Once spread, the wafer of TSB paste is dried in a low humidity chamber having about less than 30% relative humidity at a temperature not less than about 70-90 degrees Fahrenheit 104. Further, the temperature is not more than about 74 degrees Fahrenheit. The period of drying is about 1-4 days, e.g., the period of time needed to achieve a consistently dry pellet. After drying the material is ground through a screen mesh (e.g., about 8-40 screen mesh) to produce a pelletized material that has a microbial concentration substantially the same as the dry powder material  105 . Pellet material can be prepared having different grain sizes by using different sizes screen meshes. 
         [0020]    The pelletized material can be filled into an IME.TEST™ ampoule at a production rate better than about 100 times faster than the dry material. 
         [0021]    The pelletized material dissolves in to the test solution better than about 60 times faster than the dry media material. For example, powdered media takes about 20-30 minutes to dissolve and affects light transmission through the sample as it dissolves. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, pellets dissolve in less than about 1 minute. 
         [0022]    Further, the pelletized material produces approximately half of the off gassing in the ampoule, which is a source of instrument reading distortion. 
         [0023]    Further still, as compared to powdered media, pelletized media lessens an affect of the media on light transmission through a sample. For example, as measured using a blank sample (e.g., deionized water) palletized media allows infrared light transmission through a blank sample at about 650-725 lumens. Powdered media allows infrared light transmission through the blank sample at about 500-580 lumens. Accordingly, an impact of a same amount/dose of media is lessened through the pelletization process. By lessening an effect of the media on light transmission a reading of the samples can be more sensitive in lower ranges, e.g., for dark samples such as those containing blood. 
         [0024]    Pelletized material also exhibits smaller variations in dosing as compared to powdered material, for example, palletized material achieves dosing within about 50 points, as measured by light transmission through a blank sample, or about 0.1 to 0.12 grams variance among pellets. 
         [0025]    The dosing equipment for use with the pellet material includes a plurality of ampoules disposed in an upright arrangement. Referring to FIGS.  2 Ai-Di and FIGS.  2 Aii-Dii, a tray  201  is disposed above the ampoules  202 , the tray  201  comprising a first set of holes  203  corresponding to each ampoule disposed there-beneath (see FIG.  2 Ai/ii). The holes have a size adapted to receive a predetermined volume of pellets  204 . The first set of holes  203  are in a closed position, e.g., a board  205  is disposed between the first set of holes  203  and the ampoules  202 , blocks a bottom of the first set of holes  203 . The board  205  includes a second set of holes  206  corresponding the first set of holes  203 . Pellets  204  are loaded into each hole  203 , filing the first set of holes  203  and preparing a desired dose of the pelletized material (see FIG.  2 Bi/ii). After loading each of first set of holes  203  with pellet material the board  205  is moved to align the first and second sets of holes  203  and  206  and a tray of ampoules  202 , e.g.,  782  ampoules or more, are dosed substantially simultaneously (see FIGS.  2 Ci/ii and  2 Di/ii). The board need only move a distance equal to about the width of the holes to open the ampoules  202  disposed below. 
         [0026]    The filled ampoule is sealed under a vacuum. The vacuum can be relatively strong as the pellet material is dense in comparison to powdered media and is not likely to be sucked out by the vacuum. 
         [0027]    The powder material may be dosed prior to drying with a reagent. For example, dosing TSB powder with a reagent such as Triphenyltetrazoliumchloride (TTC). Given an amount of reagent in the mixture, resultant pellets contain a certain amount of reagent. 
         [0028]    Different powdered material may be separately processed into different sized pellets. The different sized pellets can be mixed, for example, to achieve different dissolving times, doses, etc. 
         [0029]    Having described embodiments for a pelletized material, it is noted that modifications and variations can be made by persons skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that changes may be made in the particular embodiments of the invention disclosed which are within the scope and spirit of the invention.