CHRONECT | Dried Blood Spot Sampler

Dried Blood Spot Sampling with FTD™

A revolution in clinical and pharmaceutical sample processing

Instead of punching blood spots the DBS Autosampler uses clamps and dried blood spots or dried matrix spots which are directly desorbed as a liquid sample for analysis. This enables a completely automated workflow for DBS analysis. Dried blood spot (DBS) sampling is an emerging technology for bioanalysis, offering easy, convenient cost-effective sample collection, transport, and storage. Axel Semrau‘s revolutionary DBS autosampler™ has set a new standard for bioanalysis. It maintains the integrity of the sample through automation using our unique direct elution FTD™ technology for sample preparation. Can you only imagine its potential?

 

CHRONECT DBS

Key Features

CHRONECT DBS maintains the integrity of the sample by automation and provides valuable benefits:

  • Unique and patented FTD™ technology for sample preparation
  • Various clamps available for spot sizes of 2, 4, 6, or 8 mm
  • Intelligent camera with image analysis software provides accurate spot detection and positioning as well as identification via 1D or 2D barcode
  • Storage, monitoring, and tracking of samples
  • Automatic internal standard addition via loop injection with HPD (high-pressure dispenser) and integrated mini pump during blood spot desorption, best precision and accuracy
  • Map Information Store
  • HotCap: heated capillaries for better desorption, minimizes hematocrit effect in full spot analysis of therapeutic drugs
  • Standard capacity: 96 DBS cards with 4 spots per card allow 384 sample measurements
  • Excellent sensitivity for a wide range of analytes
  • Very good precision, linearity and accuracy over a wide range of analytes
  • Control via CHRONOS, optimal integration into LC or GC-MS/MS systems or offline use for free further use of the eluates

Specifications

Flow-through desorption concept (FTD™)    Leak-tight clamp heads provide direct elution of DBS from cards without punching discs.
Desorption methods        Partial spot, full spot
Clamp heads                       Replaceable: sizes 2 mm, 4 mm, 6 mm and 8 mm available. SS316. Leak-tight up to 200 bar for 2 mm, 4 mm and 6 mm clamp heads. Leak-tight up to 100 bar for 8 mm clamp head.
Sample capacity                     4 spot Whatman or PerkinElmer type DBS card in a cassette format,
Intelligent Vision Camera (IVC™)    Camera designed to provide: missing card detection, accurate positioning of DBS cards in the clamp, 1D and 2D sample barcode identification, full or partial spot desorption options, full image capture for sample information storage, tracking and traceability.
Internal standard loop          20 μL
IS pump                           Internal standard pump max. 95 μL/s
Compressor                 To dry fluid lines and clamp heads after desorption and wash.
Clamp positioning precision        0.2 mm
Injection valve                           SS stator and PEEK rotor seal, bore 0.25 mm, 1/16““ connection ports, except port 4 (1/32
Valve switching time                 <100 msec
Reproducibility desorption           RSD < 1%; due to paper quality larger values are typically obtained
Reproducibility internal standard   RSD < 1%
Cycle time, typically using HPD™  150 s including desorption and wash
Cycle time                              from card retrieval to ready to desorb 20 s
Wetted parts in sample flow path  SS316, PTFE, PEEK
Wetted parts                 In dispenser and wash lines : Tefzel, Teflon, PEEK, KelF, glass.
Dimensions DBS-A with CHRONECT Symbiosis535 mm x 540 mm x 698 mm (WxDxH)
Weight DBS-A with CHRONECT  Symbiosis 32 kg Symbiosis
Regulatory compliance CE, RoHS, FCC, ICES-01
Safety standards applied IEC61010-1, IEC61010-2-081 and IEC61010-2-010
EMC standards applied IEC61326-1, CISPR11, 47 CFR part 15
Installation class II
Certification UL and CSA approved
Pollution degree 2
Quality system ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 certified
Clamp illuminationLED white LED with on/off control
Door sensor Door open status
Power requirements100 – 240 V AC +/- 10%, 50/60 Hz
Fuses 2 x 2.5 AT, 250V, 1500A breaking capacity, IEC 60127-2, UL recognized
Power consumption 200 VA

A Revolution in 
DBS sampling

Unique
 Features

FTD™ – Flow-Through Desorption
No manual intervention required with our innovative patented technology. Direct elution of DBS from cards enables optional online clean-up and analyte separation by SPE prior to analysis in an automated workflow. Replaceable clamp head sizes of 2, 4, 6 or 8 mm clamp and seal filter paper cards up to pressures of about 200 bar (up to 100 bar for the 8 mm clamp). Desorption solvent is delivered by a high-pressure dispenser (HPD™).

IVC™ – Intelligent Vision Camera
Accurate spot positioning and sample traceability is vital for accuracy. Our camera, one the one hand, has been designed for accurate positioning of DBS cards in the high pressure clamp for direct Flow-through desorption of bloodspots. On the other hand it also offers sample barcode identification for 1D or 2D barcodes, full or partial spot desorption options and full image capture for sample information storage.

 AISA™ – Automated internal Standard Addition
Accurate automated internal standard addition using a loop injection method. A specified volume of internal standard is loaded into a loop using an integrated mini pump. Then, the internal standard is then added to the sample during desorption of a blood spot using a high-pressure dispenser (HPD™).

 HotCap™ – individual Heating of Solvents
HotCap™ is an optional capillary that rapidly heats solvents to improve desorption and sample recovery. It has been shown that temperature-enhanced conditions significantly increase analyte recovery and reduce the dependency of recovery on the blood Ht level. The effective HotCap™ technique significantly increases recoveries of cyclosporine A (Ht 0.65), Everolimus,Sirolimus and Tacrolimus.

CHRONOS
Control of DBS is integrated in the reliable software platform CHRONOS from Axel Semrau. CHRONOS controls all CHRONECT Symbiosis online SPE solutions and all PAL sampler. CHRONOS is open to most chromatography data systems. This enables the user to handle the entire system DBS and SPE/LC/MS under one platform. Automation of full workflows can be managed by CHRONOS.

DBS
 Card

DBS
 Method

Traditional DBS
 Workflow

Automated
 Workflow

Extended sample capacity and automation options
Expandable capacity – from a single card to a 96 card feeder. Four sample spots per card allow for automatization of the measurement with up to 384 samples. Complete Workflows can be automated. Different set-ups are possible: Direct online couplings like DBS-LCMS or direct injection DBS-MS with CHRONECT DBS and High Pressure Dispenser HPD™, automated desorption and collection in vials to use different analytical methods (LCMS, GCMS or other) after extraction from the card with CHRONECT DBS Collect or online couplings including Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) with CHRONECT DBS Xtraction.

Improved stability of analytes and less virality
Improved stability of the target analytes by using DBS is another advantage of this technique. Enzyme activities are restrained by the dryness, so even unstable hormones can be stored and analyzed over a longer period of time. DBS improves stability for most analytes. Dryness also reduces virality of samples which improves the safe handling of samples.

Easy transport and storage
Dried blood spot (DBS) sampling offers easy, convenient, cost-effective sample transport and storage. The cards are small and lightweight. The handling of cards is comfortable. Transport is easy and inexpensive. Transport and storage are much more efficient compared to transport and storage of vials with blood.

Applications
Many applications are described in different formats – application notes, scientific posters or publications. 

Target
 Applications

Methylmalonic acidGlutathione (biomarker for autism)Immunosuppressant drugs
Anabolic steroid esters in cattleFentanyl and analogesTDM of nortriptyline
Opioids for pain managementNicotine and metabolitesAntimalaria drugs
Guanfacine, drug for ADHD treatmentPharmaceutical drugsAcylcarnitines, amino acid and lipids

System Components

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