Filtration Hints
some  More
Filtration Hints

Filtration Speed ?
- micron size of filter media
0.45um > 0.22um >>0.1um
- surface area of media
33 > 25 > 13mm Syringe Filter
90mm VacuCap > 70mm > 50mm BottleTop Filter
- source of pressure
Positive pressure OR Vacuum

• VISCOSITY
  Increase Temperature >
  20C+ approx x 2 as Fast but depends on Max media Temp limit

• Use a Courser
  pre-Filter to trap large particles ?) >protects the main membrane
   

• FILTER MEDIA Type
  try match the polarity with that of the matrix fluid !

how long is a piece of string” . . . it All depends ! .
it IS VERY sample dependant !. . . ALL Trial and Error ! required
- particulate matter; how dirty and NOT just visible dirt but from product manufacture re crude paper filter methods - “invisible fibres” etc
Factors :
Viscosity . . . temperature dependant / dilution if possible oils/solvents
warm fluid . . . in extreme cases use Syringe Pump and heated Syringe Jacket
Chemical Compatability / wettability sample fluid
& filtration media and equipment
Specifics : Teflon and PVDF may need to be prewetted - isopropanol
Structure of different OEM filter media for same nominal pore size may be different random fibres vs mesh type : pore size is a average pore size measurement and porosity depends on dispersion
of pores about a mean size

some Equipment Limitations
BottleTop Filter preferred for aqueous media and medium Vac < 250mm Hg
-  higher vacuum can collapse plastic vacuum bottles
-  plastic bottles can be softened with “oils” particularly if media has to be warmed
-  aggressive solvents can soften filter housing material (PP/syringe filters )
-  filter fibres can swell ( close off pores ) if filter media and fludis are ”less” compatible
-  match hydrophyllic with hydrophyllic and hydrophobic with hydrophobic
-  non polar oils use PP, Teflon PVDF
-  essential oils/ fatty acids ester oil PVDF, Nylon perhaps
- aqueous solution, high speed PES (polyetherSulfone), Nylon
Glass Filtration Equipment - requires Heavy Duty Glass receiver
> But Take CARE !
-  more expensive . . . initial cost
-  very robust ( but NOT unbreakable )
-  safer for higher vacuum if required ( use safety shield as glass can implode if scratched or cracked )
-  can be easily cleaned . . . sterilised if needed
-  will handle most aggressive fluids and solvents
Vacu-Cap - for large batches ( 100ml to 250ml )of fast fluids, generally aqueous and often HandVacuum pump adequate and controllable / managable. tedious > motorised VacPump ( for larger OR slow /viscous mixes 0.1-0.2um SFs ! )

Vacuum System
Hand Vacuum Pump
: can develop higher vacuum at slow filtration speeds and collapse plastic filtration vacuum bottles
- use small filter flasks less pumping required - can be tedious/tiresome for large batches and fast flow fluids
Motorised Vacuum Pump : for large batches, vacuum can be regulated and filtration pumps 250mm HG is adequate for most fluids
- takes tedium out of slow filtration fluids ie set and “forget”

Syringe Filter
- pressurised by thumb pressure ( syringe dispenser )
33mm for 50 to 200ml, 25mm 25 to 100ml, 13ml 5 to 25ml - depending
for large through puts - tedious and thumb soreness are issues
- slow fluids use a Syringe Pump - for viscous fluids either dilute with a solvent or use a Syringe Heater jacket ( can easily develop 100psi ) Syringe Filters are rated only to 50-75psi max
Use Heavy Duty Glass Syringe or SS syringe if necessary
- come in a variety of filter materials; CA, Nylon, PES,  PP, PVDF, Teflon

Prefilters - are used to speed up flow and SF capacity coarser layer traps large particles and helps protect the main filter material
- Glass Fibre preFilter usually 1umlayer built-in ( Membrane Solutions )
- multiLayer preFilter : 10um, 1um , 0.7um layers then main filter 0.45um or 0.22um
- Glass Fibre preFilter can also be used with Filter Funnel systems - either stand-alone GF Filter or separate membrane filter added on top of main filter / combined
Whatman GD/X PVDF Syringe Filters . . . are AGAIN now available from Chromalytic Tech > obsolete(?) with New PES ( at least for mid-polarity Oils” ! )

re “Sterility”
NOTE : TGA IS Pedantic !

This is not to be regarded as advice re TGA implications - see Chromalytic DISCLAIMER
Sterile equipment; filters etc WILL NOT necessarily sterilise unsterile fluids
Where originally STERILE Fluids need to be filtered
AND Sterility needs to be maintained then ALL filtration equipment including Filter Media must be purchased sterile or suitably sterilised in-situ and recommended handling proceedures / asceptic conditions
a bit of “common sense” is  ALSO required !“gamma”
sterilisation may tend to disintegrate some “rubber” Stoppers’
> but CHECK First !.

some methods !
disinfectants, boiling water, dry heat 300deg C
( borosilicate glass )
(steam) autoclaving ( 130degC )
industrial , ethylene oxide gas; gamma irradiation
 . . . with clean room handling/packaging to strict TGA requirements
 . . . for pharmaceuticals and medical use
MicroFiltration : 0.45um sterile filters - only part successful ( arbitrary 60% )
0.22um sterile filters much more effective ( 90% )
0.1um sterile filters - > 98% - but NO GUARANTEES !

 Filtration Products HTM  Accessories

see Also Syringe Filters - MEMBRANE SOLUTIONS
Syringe Filters
Plastic Syringes - Norm-Ject
Membrane Filter
BottleTop Filters
  - FastCap-VacuCap Bottle Filters
Vacuum Pumps
Filtration Flasks
Dispensersr
“Serum” Vials  HTM
- Glass Vials; bottles; Crimp Caps and Serum Stoppers

Filtration Material - Applications PDF
Practical Hints

available . . . in
Syringe Filters
 0.45 and 0.22um
13, 25, 33mm Diameter
CA, PES, Nylon, PP, PVDF, PTFE
Non-sterile
STERILE (? ASK ! )
Normal single filter
GlassFibre
 preFilter 1um / Main
multiLayer 10,1.0,0.7um / Main

Whatman GD/X PVDF
“accepted state of Art”
obsolete w/PES (New)
 

Membrane Disc Filters
BottleFilters and Glass Funnels
0.45um
Nylon, PVDF,
Glass Fibre 1um
47mm Diam

FILTRATION Products : PIC Gallery> GOOGLE SEARCH PIcs > PDF LINKs

Application development
testing or small amounts of fluid per batch ( 200ml max )

Syringe
Filter MS

1  with Luer Lok Syringe
13,25,33mm Diameter
2  Reusable Cartridge Filter Holder - disposable 25mm Disc Filters

Step 1 consider material compatability
- filtration equipment and fluid
Expect variations in Fluid quality, contamination
- use pure fluids QA/QC issues
Step 2 test/evaluate Syringe Filters hydrophyllic vs hydrophobic
water solutions : Nylon/PES to oils PP/PVDF/Teflon ( see Filtration Media Hints)
microfiltration small qtys 13mm, then 25mm
or 33mm ( more expensive )

if slow

due to large particulates

Consider preFilter (1) 1um Glass Fibre (2) multi Layer

viscous solutions

- try warming or if possible dilution with solvent subsequent evaporation or sparging of solvent
Oils - NO open flame heating - use a hot plate

too high a pressure on Your thumb

- consider use of a Syringe Pump / with heater option
low pressure - Plastic NormJect Syringes
higher pressure/heated - se heavy duty glass syringe or SS syringe - SF max is 75psi

1 Initially use 0.45um as the main filter
2 Use the finer 0.22um (0.1um) in a subsequent / separate filtration step

Larger Quantities

Aqueous
 / sterile ?

Hand VacPUMP and Bottletop Filter MS and Nalgene
VacuCap for mobile fluid fast throughput / with Hand VacuumPUMP

Oils / aqueous

Glass Filtration Equipment with HandVacPUMP
- motorised VacPUMP - easier over prolonged filtration periods
- multi-manifold /funnel systems are available

Chromatography Filtration
see Sample Filtration products

to protect instruments !
eg HPLC Pumps / GC Injection ports

dirty samples

1  consider 13mm SFs - check for sample loss QA/QC
2  Single Step Filter Vials PDF

CHROMTECH :  Specialists in Chromatography
Chromatography Fluid Transfer Products : & FOR !
All Your Laboratory Needs
- Importers & Distributors in AUSTRALIA

*

but “focus”
on OUR -m5

NEW             OEM
        Invite ! 

Chromtech.net.au > Chromtech-AUS.com > Chromalytic.net.au

mini SHOPPE  proto- Shop2CT      > “OUR Consensus”> CC < GW & Energy BLOGs

& a
HI-TECH “Resource” > 4 U !