Patent ID: 8703434

Claim:
An automatic device for processing a liquid sample having a volume V greater than or equal to 10 ml, comprising a reaction chamber, having a volume v of between 10 μl and 5 ml, in which functionalized magnetic beads are placed, said beads having a diameter between 0.5 and 10 μm and allowing the capture of biological or chemical targets in an amount such that the ratio of the capture surface area of the beads to the volume of the reaction chamber is between 0.2 and 200 m 2 /l, wherein said capture surface area of the beads is between 1×10 −2 and 10×10 −2 m 2 , said reaction chamber being equipped: with a noninvasive agitation system enabling homogeneous dispersion of said beads; with a magnetic field that can be activated or inactivated; and with a fluid movement system for feeding and discharging a portion or the entirety of the contents of the reaction chamber.