Abstract: Sample preparation unit, preferably for sterility testing: a housing body including at least two ports adapted to serve as fluid inlet and/or fluid outlet, a membrane support, and a lid part such that a membrane chamber is defined adjacent said membrane support. One of at least two ports is arranged so as to allow a fluid transfer to/from a first volume of the membrane chamber at a position upstream of a membrane to be placed on the membrane support, and the other ports arranged to allow fluid transfer to/from a second volume of said membrane chamber at a position downstream of a membrane to be placed on said membrane support. A movable part is provided on housing body such that the movable part and housing body are movable relative to each other, selectively interrupting/establishing fluid transfer between at least one of two ports and the membrane chamber.

Abstract: Sample preparation unit, preferably for sterility testing: a housing body including at least two ports adapted to serve as fluid inlet and/or fluid outlet, a membrane support, and a lid part such that a membrane chamber is defined adjacent said membrane support. One of at least two ports is arranged so as to allow a fluid transfer to/from a first volume of the membrane chamber at a position upstream of a membrane to be placed on the membrane support, and the other ports arranged to allow fluid transfer to/from a second volume of said membrane chamber at a position downstream of a membrane to be placed on said membrane support. A movable part is provided on housing body such that the movable part and housing body are movable relative to each other, selectively interrupting/establishing fluid transfer between at least one of two ports and the membrane chamber.

Abstract: Process for treatment of residual nucleic acids present on the surface of laboratory consumables. The process combines two treatment phases: (1) treatment with ethylene oxide in gaseous phase; then (2) treating the surface with hydrogen peroxide in liquid phase or in gaseous phase. The effect of this treatment is the avoidance of the amplification of residual nucleic acids, in particular during PCR or TMA reactions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new process for treatment of residual nucleic acids present on the surface of laboratory consumables. This process combines two treatment phases: i) Treating with ethylene oxide in gaseous phase; then ii) Treating said surface with hydrogen peroxide in liquid phase or in gaseous phase; The effect of this treatment is to avoid the amplification of said residual nucleic acids, in particular during PCR or TMA reactions.

Abstract: The method of fast microbiological analysis of a support adapted to retain microorganisms includes the step of selecting a reagent adapted to reveal the presence of ATP, the step of acting on said microorganisms to render the ATP of said microorganisms accessible to said reagent, then the step of depositing on said support said reagent adapted to reveal the presence of ATP, and the step of detecting the response of said support to said reagent, said method including, prior to the step of acting on said microorganisms, a preprocessing step including a step of selecting a reagent adapted to consume unwanted ATP present on said support, and, successively, the step of depositing said reagent adapted to consume ATP on said support and the step of eliminating said reagent adapted to consume ATP when the unwanted ATP has been consumed.

Abstract: The method includes the step of selecting a reagent adapted to reveal the presence of ATP by luminescence, the step of depositing said reagent on a support adapted to retain microorganisms and the step of detecting the response of said support to said reagent; said detection step includes the step (90) of recording the quantity of light emitted by said support as a function of time from a time t1 before a time t0 at which said deposition step is carried out to a time t2 after said time t0, the step (91) of extrapolating, from said recorded quantity of light, to the quantity of light as a function of time that would have been emitted by said support without the deposition of said reagent, and the step (92) of determining from said recorded quantity of light and from said extrapolated quantity of light a set of values representative of the quantity of light emitted only as a result of bringing said reagent into contact with the ATP.