DEVICES AND METHODS FOR CONCENTRATION OF ANALYTES

A device and method for increasing the concentration of an analyte in a fluid sample. The device may include: (1) a housing defining a chamber therein for receiving a fluid sample, (2) a membrane associated with the housing; and (3) a pressure generator operatively connected to the housing to create a pressure gradient across the membrane such that pressure on a first side of said membrane is greater than pressure on a second side of said membrane. The fluid sample includes a fluid and any analyte therein (though there may be other components present in the fluid sample other than only fluid and analyte). When the pressure generator is operated to create the pressure gradient, this causes at least a portion of the fluid sample to move across the membrane. As a result, the fluid of the fluid sample is separated into a first portion of fluid on one side of the membrane, and a second portion of fluid including said analyte on an opposite side of the membrane. This second portion of fluid - by having the analyte (or a substantial amount of the analyte) present in an amount of fluid that is reduced as compared to the fluid sample prior to the application of pressure - is thus the resulting analyte-concentrated fluid sample.