Contact: Philipp Lösch

Funding: DFG

To design a filtration process on industrial scale, large quantities of suspension are required. At the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry, there are often only very small quantities of suspensions such as vaccines or other active ingredients available, which are also extremely expensive. Using a “micro nutsche filter” in a centrifugal field can reduce the needed test volume down to 1 ml. The development is based on an analytical centrifuge (LUMiFuge, LUMiSizer) utilizing the patented STEP-Technology®. These analyzers have been used worldwide for accelerated stability analysis and consolidation of suspensions and emulsions as well as high-resolution grain and droplet size determinations. With this technique, a high volume and time resolved analysis of the filtrate flow can be determined. With the comparison to established analysis of filter media and cake filtration for industry, a new cost-effective method for filtration tests of expensive suspensions as well as new filter materials shall be made available.