The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 13, 1992
Filed:
Jul. 28, 1988
Mark L Sussman, Baltimore, MD (US);
Joseph E Ahnell, Hydes, MD (US);
Laurence R McCarthy, Baltimore, MD (US);
Becton, Dickinson and Company, Franklin Lakes, NJ (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for detecting the presence of biological activity in a sample of material. In the method, a sample of the material is placed in a closed container with a growth medium which includes a carbon source which may be metabolized to produce carbon dioxide. The medium with the sample therein is exposed to conditions conducive to the occurrence of normal metabolic process for a period of time sufficient to cause production of CO.sub.2 by the metabolism of the carbon source. Thereafter, the presence of CO.sub.2 in the gaseous atmosphere above the medium is detected by measuring the infrared absorbance of the gaseous atmosphere with the container by passing an infrared beam through the container and the gaseous atmosphere and detecting the infrared absorbance of the gaseous atmosphere.