A container assembly prevents a situation in which an aqueous liquid layer is contaminated by a component of another aqueous liquid layer even when stored for a long time. A container assembly has a structure in which an adsorption container, a reaction container, a washing container, and an elution container are joined to form a flow channel through which the target nucleic acid is moved. The washing container may include a first washing container, a second washing container, and a third washing container. The washing containerseal-tightly holds a first washing liquid, a second washing liquid, a third washing liquid, a first oil, a second oil, a third oil, and a fourth oil, the first oil, the second oil, the third oil, and the fourth oil being immiscible with the first washing liquid, the second washing liquid, and the third washing liquid. The first washing liquid, the second washing liquid, and the third washing liquid are liquids with which a magnetic bead on which a nucleic acid is adsorbed is washed. The elution container seal-tightly holds an eluent and a fluid that is immiscible with the eluent. The eluent is a liquid with which the target nucleic acid is eluted from the magnetic bead.

Disclosed is a sample preparation container for purification and/or enrichment of bio-organic compounds from cellular material, viruses and/or sub-components of these. The container includes a reaction chamber and a chromatography medium. The reaction chamber is for holding the cellular material, etc. and is configured to perform reactions inside. The chromatography medium is configured to purify the bio-organic compounds. The chromatography medium is located at a wall of the reaction chamber, and the wall is closed or sealed and configured to be opened for obtaining purified bio-organic compounds. The sample preparation container further includes a receiving chamber for receiving the bio-organic compounds, that is adjacent to the chromatography medium such that the chromatography medium separates the reaction chamber from the receiving chamber. The outer face of the receiving chamber is closed and configured to be opened for obtaining purified bio-organic compounds.

A microfluidic interconnect system and method for assembly thereof is described. The microfluidic interconnect has a port and a seal, with the port having a reverse taper. The port has a first port end, a second port end, and an inner port surface with a tapered portion. Each port end has an opening with a diameter, and in certain embodiments, the diameter of the first port end is smaller than the diameter of the second port end. The seal has a first end and a second end, and each seal end has a rim and an opening with an inner diameter and an outer diameter. The seal also has an inner surface and an outer surface, where in certain embodiments, each surface has a tapered portion. In certain embodiments, the inner diameter of the first seal end is equal to or larger than the inner diameter of the second seal end, the outer diameter of the first seal end is equal to or smaller than the outer diameter of the second seal end, and the outer diameter of the second seal end is larger than the outer diameter of each port end. In certain embodiments, a tube is slidably coupled to the inner surface of the seal, and the tube has an outer diameter that is equal to or larger than the inner diameter of the second seal end.

A substance purification device ensures that the interface between an aqueous liquid layer and an oil-based liquid layer is maintained in a stable manner. The substance purification device includes a washing flow channel, and an elution flow channel that communicates with the washing flow channel, the washing flow channel including a first part, and a second part that is smaller than the first part as to the cross-sectional area in a plane that is orthogonal to the direction in which the washing flow channel extends, an interface between a washing liquid and a fluid that is immiscible with the washing liquid being situated within the second part, the elution flow channel including a third part, and a fourth part that is smaller than the third part as to the cross-sectional area in a plane that is orthogonal to the direction in which the elution flow channel extends, an interface between an eluent and a fluid that is immiscible with the eluent being situated within the fourth part, the washing liquid being a liquid with which a substance-binding solid-phase carrier on which a substance is adsorbed is washed, and the eluent being a liquid with which the substance is eluted from the substance-binding solid-phase carrier.

Methods and devices for isolating microbial cells from a sample, extracting eukaryotic DNA from a sample, and identifying the microbial species in the sample are disclosed herein.

The invention relates to a mobile device system, comprising a hand-held device and a test kit for the mobile isolation of nucleic acids. The hand-held device comprises at least one sample block for inserting sample containers, a sample block holder with boreholes or recesses for accommodating the sample blocks, a device base with electronic control units for the sample blocks, a voltage source and a connection to the sample block holder, as well as a test kit for the isolation of nucleic acids. The hand-held device is characterized in that the sample blocks can be removed from the sample block holder and the sample block holder can be removed from the device base.

A microfluidic device is disclosed having an enclosed chamber containing a filter for purifying biological or chemical analytes from a complex biological sample, said chamber housing a plurality of ports in addition to said filter, as follows: a first port enabling gas communication of the chamber with a vacuum generator, via a first flow path; a second port enabling liquid communication of the chamber with one or more reservoirs, via a second flow path; a third port enabling gas and liquid communication of the chamber with both one or more receiving containers and a vacuum generator, via a third flow path; and a filter located between the third port and both the first and second port, so that a fluid entering the chamber through the first and/or second port and exiting the chamber through the third port flows through the filter. The invention also relates to a method using the microfluidic device.

Methods and systems and related compositions for separating through a solid matrix a mixture comprising a nucleic acid together with a target compound having a water solubility equal to or greater than 0.01 mg per 100 mL, which can be used for managing fluid flow, biochemical reactions and purification of the nucleic acid or other target analytes.

High-throughput microfluidic devices comprising one or more fluidic microchannels each with at least one flow-through 3D structure comprising a 3D electrode, or alternatively a 3D permselective structure, and optional secondary bead bed(s) are disclosed. Such devices can be used for counter-flow focusing of charged species via ion concentration polarization and in situ quantification of electrokinetically enriched charged species from an ionically conductive solution by both optical and electrical detection.

A sample injector for injecting a fluid into a fluidic path, wherein the sample injector comprises a robot arm configured for moving an injection needle, when being connected to the robot arm, between a fluid container containing the fluid and a seat in fluid communication with the fluidic path, the needle configured for aspirating the fluid from the fluid container, when the needle has been moved to the fluid container, and for injecting aspirated fluid into the fluidic path, when the needle is accommodated in the seat, and the seat configured for accommodating the needle and providing fluid communication with the fluidic path, wherein the robot arm is configured for selectively disconnecting the needle from the robot arm when the needle is accommodated in the seat, and wherein the robot arm is configured for performing a further task while the needle is disconnected from the robot arm.