Filtration is a process of separation of physical matters that splits solid and fluid from a combination using a filter medium. Its structure is complex because it allows passing only the fluid. Filtration is a complex sterilization technique used in laboratories that force it to split rather than kill. When you filter a liquid or gas, it passes through a pore, which stops the passage of massive particles or filters them out.

Filtration contains tiny pores to stop the large particles because the smaller the pores, the more particles it can shade out. Pore sizes are about 0.01 μm (micrometer). It takes high energy to force the liquid through it. Such a small force stops viruses from passing, but some smaller proteins can still enter it. Even smaller filters, known as nano-filters, prohibit proteins, viruses, and toxins.

A filtration purpose is to sterilize heat-sensitive liquids, as any other cleansing approach cannot sterilize these. Therefore, here we will discuss the different methods of how the filtration process operates and even the pros and cons of using them in the Laboratory.

What Is Filtration and How Does It work?

Filtration is a unique process of sterilization that removes bacteria and splits the microorganisms from the sterilized medium but doesn’t kill the bacteria or the ability to reproduce. Filtration is different from other sterilization methods.

Filtration contains membranous filters with tiny pores that allow the flow of liquid or gas to pass through. It stops the passage of massive particles such as bacteria through the filter. Therefore, the smaller the pore, the more chances the filter is to stop more particles from crossing through it. If the pores of a filter, which is designed to remove a microbe, which is a microscopic organism, are tiny sufficiently. They should be able to prevent all living things from crossing.

Filtration of Liquids in the Laboratory

In laboratories, the liquid filtration process is completed through microbial filters to remove any existing microbes. The process is used for heat-sensitive liquids for sterilization. There are four kinds of filters as follows.

• Membrane filters: They are slim and are made of cellulose. They are used for sterilization to inject something. It would be best to place the membrane between the needle and the syringe.

• Seitz filters are made up of asbestos, pad-like and thicker. They eliminate microorganisms from the liquid.

• Sintered glass filters: They are different type of filter that is made of glass. They are mainly used in chemical plants and laboratories to distinguish particulate substances from liquids as they do not absorb liquids throughout filtration. 

• Candle filters are stiff porous ceramic or metal blocks suspended like candles in the flow stream and made of clay-like mud. The gas passes through them, creating a cake on the surface. After which, they back-flushed to remove the trapped substance.

Pros and Cons of Filtration:

Filtration has some advantages and disadvantages due to its complex and caring structure. The Pros and Cons of filtration are as follows.

Benefits of Filtration

1. Comparatively low-priced, but most petite pore sizes are a bit costly
2. You can’t clog the filter simply
3. Heat is not used in filters which makes them appropriate for heat-sensitive fluids
4. Large volumes of fluid are filtered easily and speedily

Drawbacks of Filtration

1. Filters are workable only on fluids substances and glasses
2. Filtration is more expensive than autoclaving since they are expensive to substitute, mainly nano-filters
3. Glass filters are rigid and have the chance to break down.
4. Membrane filters break easily
5. Seitz Filters solution may get absorbed by the filter pad itself
6. There is a chance of Clogging occurrence
7. Length procedure

Conclusion

Filters are a physical method that splits microbes from liquids substances and are typical lab filtration processes. The filters have been significant in laboratory disease research since their first usage in the late 19th century. 

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Bibliography

Team, T. (2017, March 26). liquids-sterilization-by-filtration. Retrieved from Tattnuaer: https://tuttnauer.com/blog/liquids-sterilization-by-filtration