Patent ID: 8809039

Claim:
A method for isolating and analyzing an analyte present in a fluid sample in an automated analyzer, the method comprising the automated steps of: a) providing a fluid sample to a multiwell plate in a sample cell; b) combining together a solid support material and said fluid sample in a well of said multiwell plate for a period of time under conditions sufficient to permit said analyte to be immobilized on the solid support material; c) isolating the solid support material from other material present in the fluid sample of said well in a separation station; d) purifying the analyte in the separation station by washing the solid support material one or more times with a wash buffer and separating the analyte from the solid support material isolated from step c); and e) analyzing said analyte in an amplification cell, wherein steps b) to d) are performed in a process cell of said automated analyzer, and step e) is performed in said amplification cell, wherein said process cell of said automated analyzer comprises a first air flow and said amplification cell comprises a second air flow, the first air flow and the second air flow are separated, and wherein said sample cell has an air flow which is separate from said first air flow of said process cell and said second air flow of said amplification cell, and wherein said sample cell comprises an air pressure that is the same as the air pressure of said process cell.