Peristaltic pumps eliminate cross contamination risks for tangential flow filtration operations at Novasep

Published: 8-Feb-2016

French biopharmaceutical firm selects pumps from Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group

Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group has supplied peristaltic pumps to French biopharmaceutical firm Novasep for its Sius TFF Skid, a tangential flow filtration system composed entirely of single-use components that separates and concentrates biomolecules according to their size. The new skid, developed by Novasep, is said to be the first on the market to offer a complete single-use TFF solution.

Watson-Marlow's 520UN/R2 and 620UN/RE pumps were chosen to facilitate the system’s fluid transfer operations.

In tangential flow filtration (TFF), the fluid to be processed circulates across a porous membrane and, under pressure, passes through its pores. Molecules of a greater size than the pores remain in the retentate, while small molecules pass through the membrane into the permeate. The retentate circulates continuously in a loop travelling across the membrane which, for example, enables the molecules to be concentrated or facilitates buffer exchange (diafiltration).

The retentate is fed by a Watson-Marlow 520UN/R2 continuous tubing pump as part of diafiltration, delivering replacement buffer to stream.

purity and quality are key factors in this type of installation

A 620UN/RE LoadSure tube element pump is used to recirculate the retentate within the loop, providing low-pulse flow rates and a linear 4 bar displacement pressure, to enable easy setting of the system retentate valve. The advantage provided by these two pumps is that they ensure cells are undamaged through excessive heat transfer and unwanted particulates are not introduced into the fluid stream. Furthermore, peristaltic technology eliminates cross-contamination risks.

According to Novasep, purity and quality are key factors in this type of installation. The cleaning phases are therefore important to ensure that the equipment complies with hygiene specifications. The Watson-Marlow pumps' tubing provides high-purity, USP Class VI validated contact materials.

The Watson-Marlow tubes are pre-sterilised (gamma irradiated) so that the user can eliminate the cleaning and validation phase without risk of contamination, as well as save time.

Another advantage of Watson-Marlow pumps is that they offer a high degree of precision, even at higher pressures, which has enabled Novasep to leave out the flow meter originally planned for the installation.

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