Syringe Filters

Syringe filter choice

See below for an over-view:

Incorrect choice of syringe filter can have a serious impact on experimental outcome. We refer you to the following article where the differences in syringe filter membrane materials are examined to help you make the correct choice.

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Additional information/summary

Cellulose Acetate (CA)

  • Use with: Aqueous samples

  • Sterilization: Syringe filters can be sterilized by autoclave at 125° for 15 minutes

  • pH range: 1 to 14

  • Applications: Biological samples, tissue culture media filtration, preparation of aqueous samples for HPLC

  • Don’t use with: Organic solvents. Low binding capacity for proteins


Glass Fibre (GF)

  • Use with: Heavily contaminated samples; most solvents; high throughput; high flow rate; filtration of high pore size samples (large pore size membranes are available)

  • Prefilter recommended for samples containing high particulate content o0r are viscous

  • Don’t use with: low flow rate, low throughput; extractables can interfere with ionic and metals analysis; very strong acids or bases

  • Sterilization: Can be sterilized

  • Applications: Dissolution testing, filtration of high particulate samples, air filtration, recovery of DNA from biological samples, salt, sugar, sera, tissue lysates, protein solutions, and environmental samples, like soil and ground water, where there is an elevated level of suspended or un-dissolved particles


Nylon (NY)

  • Use with: Bases, Most HPLC solvents, organic solvents, Alcohols, Aromatic Hydrocarbons, THF; high pH samples (pH range 6 to 14); elevated temperatures (to 50ºC)

  • Don’t use with: Acids, aggressive halogenated hydrocarbons, protein samples (Nylon is a high binder); high flow rate

  • Sterilization: Can be sterilized by autoclave

  • Applications: General Laboratory filtration, most HPLC samples


Polyethersulphone (PES)

  • Use with: Strong bases, alcohols, proteins, peptides; high flow rates; high temperatures (to 100ºC); wide pH range (3 to 14)

  • Don’t use with: acids, ketones, esters, halogenated or aromatic hydrocarbons

  • Sterilization: Can be sterilized by autoclave

  • Applications: Ion chromatography, tissue culture filtration, filtration of proteins and nucleic acids, high-temperature liquids


Polypropylene (PP)

  • Use with: Acids/Bases (without pre-wetting), wide pH range (1 to 14), high heat and mechanical strength, organic and aqueous samples

  • Limited resistance with: Dichloromethane and Chloroform.

  • Sterilization: Can be sterilized

  • Applications: Filtration of biological samples, aggressive organic solvents, HPLC analysis


Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)

  • Use with: Aggressive solvents, strong acids, alcohols, bases, aromatics; high temperatures

  • Don’t use with: Aqueous samples without prewetting (causes high backpressure)

  • Sterilization: Can be sterilized by autoclave

  • Applications: Filtration of aggressive organic or highly basic solutions, good for the filtration of gaseous or organic solvent-based samples and highly corrosive substances


Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) - hydrophilic

  • Use with: Aggressive solvents, strong acids, alcohols, bases, aromatics; high temperatures

  • Don’t use with: Aqueous samples without prewetting (causes high backpressure)

  • Sterilization: Can be sterilized by autoclave

  • Applications: Filtration of aggressive organic or highly basic solutions, good for the filtration of gaseous or organic solvent-based samples and highly corrosive substances; suitable for mixed HPLC solvents and solvents of aqueous type and organic solvents


Polyvinylidene Difluoride (PVDF) - hydrophobic

  • Use with: Alcohols, weak acids, proteins, peptides and other biomolecules Low protein binder); has high strength and pH range from 1 to 14; unaffected by ultraviolet rays

  • Don’t use with: Some strong acids, bases, esters, ethers or ketones

  • Sterilization: Can be sterilized by autoclave

  • Applications: General biological filtration, filtration of samples for high protein recovery; air and gas sample filtration; HPLC solvents


Regenerated Cellulose (RC)

  • Use with: Proteins, Peptides and other biomolecules (very low protein binder)

  • Don’t use with: Strong acids, Chloroform, THF.

  • Sterilization: Can be sterilized by autoclave

  • Applications: Low non-specific binding applications, Tissue culture media filtration and general biological sample filtration



Pore size quick reference

0.1μm: Reduction of mycoplasma, ultracleaning

0.2μm: Sterilization, sterility testing, “final filtration”; HPLC solvents

0.45μm: Analysis of bacteria, sterility testing, clarification and prefiltration

0.65/0.8μm: Analysis of mold, fungi and yeast, stabilization of fermented product, clarification and prefiltration