Syringe Filters — PES, PVDF, Nylon, MCE, and CA Membranes for Small-Volume Filtration

Syringe filters are self-contained disposable units with a Luer-lock PP housing for small-volume filtration (1–150 mL) of cell culture supplements, protein solutions, HPLC samples, and conditioned media. Globe Scientific supplies sterile (individually gamma-irradiated) and non-sterile syringe filters in PES, PVDF, CA, MCE, and nylon membranes; 13 mm and 30 mm diameters; 0.22 µm and 0.45 µm pore sizes. Use PES for routine media supplements; PVDF for precious protein and antibody preparations; nylon for HPLC solvents.

MBP carries the full Globe Scientific syringe filter line with direct PO ordering for labs across the USA, Canada, and worldwide. Contact customerservice@mbpinc.net to request a quote today!

Syringe Filters

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What are Syringe Filters?

Syringe filters are self-contained, disposable filtration units comprising a polypropylene (PP) housing enclosing a flat-sheet membrane, with a female Luer lock inlet and a male Luer lock outlet. They are attached to a standard syringe, the sample is drawn up, and pushed through the membrane by manual plunger pressure. Standard disc diameters are 4 mm, 13 mm, 25 mm, and 33 mm; membrane pore sizes are 0.22 µm (sterilizing grade) and 0.45 µm (clarification grade), with 0.10 µm available for mycoplasma removal. Effective filtration areas: 13 mm filter ≈ 0.92 cm²; 25 mm filter ≈ 2.98 cm². Globe Scientific syringe filters, a confirmed MBP brand, are available in PP housing with PES, PVDF, CA (cellulose acetate), MCE, and nylon membranes in 13 mm and 30 mm diameters, sterile (individually wrapped) and non-sterile (bulk), 0.22 µm and 0.45 µm. Choose syringe filters for volumes of 1–150 mL; choose vacuum bottle-top filters for volumes above 150 mL.

What you will find:

PES Syringe Filters for high-flow aqueous filtration
PVDF Syringe Filters for low protein binding
Nylon Syringe Filters for organic solvent compatibility
0.22μm Syringe Filters for absolute sterilization
0.45μm Syringe Filters for clarification and pre-filtration
PTFE Syringe Filters for aggressive chemical resistance
Hydrophilic Syringe Filters for versatile liquid handling
Sterile Individually Blistered Filters for aseptic security

How to Choose Syringe Filters

Diameter Selection by Sample Volume
13 mm syringe filters (effective area 0.92 cm²) handle up to 10–15 mL per filter before flow resistance becomes impractical. Use with 1–10 mL syringes. 25 mm syringe filters (2.98 cm²) handle 10–100 mL per filter. Use with 10–60 mL syringes. 33 mm syringe filters (approximately 5–6 cm²) handle up to 150 mL and are the largest practical syringe filter format. For volumes above 150 mL, switch to a vacuum bottle-top filter system. Matching filter diameter to sample volume prevents premature membrane clogging and excessive plunger force.

Membrane Chemistry for Syringe Filters
PES (Polyethersulfone): Low protein binding, high flow rate, aqueous compatibility. Standard choice for biological sample sterilization, cell culture supplement filtration (antibiotics, glutamine, growth factors), and conditioned medium aliquots. Not suitable for strong organic solvents or concentrated acids.

PVDF (Polyvinylidene fluoride, hydrophilic): Low protein binding — among the lowest of all syringe filter membranes, with protein recovery rates >90–99.9% documented for antibody and enzyme solutions. Compatible with mild organic solvents, weak acids, and most aqueous solutions. The first choice when filtering precious protein solutions (antibodies, enzymes, viral preparations) is where maximum protein recovery is critical. Not suitable for pure DMSO (use PTFE).

Nylon (Polyamide): Low extractables, broad chemical compatibility including mixed aqueous-organic solvents, methanol, acetonitrile, and DMSO-water mixtures. Standard for HPLC mobile phase filtration and dissolution testing. Higher protein binding than PES or PVDF — avoid for biological samples where protein loss is a concern.

MCE (Mixed Cellulose Ester): Low cost, aqueous applications only; moderate protein binding. Suitable for general buffer preparation, water sterilization, and non-critical sample preparation. Not compatible with organic solvents or strong acids.

CA (Cellulose Acetate): Low protein binding, similar to PES. Suited for biological sample filtration and sterility testing applications. Contains surfactant treatment for wettability — check for extractable compatibility in downstream assays.

PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene, hydrophilic): Maximum chemical resistance — compatible with pure DMSO, concentrated acids and bases, and aggressive organic solvents. The only membrane choice for 100% organic solvent filtration. For aqueous solutions, use hydrophilic PTFE (pre-wetted with methanol or IPA before aqueous filtration unless the hydrophilic version is selected).

Sterile vs. Non-Sterile Syringe Filters
Sterile syringe filters (individually gamma-irradiated or E-beam sterilized, individually packaged) are required for cell culture media sterilization, supplement preparation, and sample preparation for biological culture. Non-sterile bulk-packed filters (Globe Scientific non-sterile formats) are appropriate for HPLC mobile phase preparation, analytical sample clarification, and non-biological applications where sterility of the filtrate is not required.

Specifications Context

Globe Scientific syringe filters are manufactured in a PP housing with a luer-lock inlet and outlet conforming to ISO 594 / ISO 80369 for Luer fittings. PES and PVDF sterile filters are individually gamma irradiated; each is separately wrapped and printed with expiry date per Globe Scientific lot protocol. Effective filtration areas: 13 mm filter ≈ 0.92 cm²; 30 mm filter ≈ 4.91 cm² (Globe Scientific welded format). Operating temperature: up to 60 °C. Do not exceed the maximum operating pressure of 6 bar (87 psi). Globe Scientific is ISO 9001:2015 certified. Globe Scientific syringe filters in PES, PVDF, CA, MCE, and nylon membranes at 13 mm and 30 mm diameters are stocked by MBP.

Science is hard enough without equipment failure, so get your quote from the Molecular Biology Products Inc. team before your cells decide to stage a walkout.

FAQ

Syringe filters are self-contained disposable units attached to a standard Luer-lock syringe for small-volume filtration (1–150 mL) of cell culture supplements (antibiotics, glutamine, growth factors), protein solutions, conditioned media aliquots, HPLC mobile phases, and analytical samples. A 13 mm filter handles up to 10–15 mL; a 25–30 mm filter handles 10–100 mL before flow resistance becomes impractical.

PVDF (hydrophilic polyvinylidene fluoride) syringe filters provide the lowest protein binding of common syringe filter membranes, with documented protein recovery rates above 90–99.9% for antibody and enzyme solutions. For precious or concentrated protein samples where maximum recovery is critical — antibody stocks, enzyme preparations, viral vector preparations — PVDF 0.22 µm in the appropriate diameter (13 mm for <10 mL, 25–30 mm for 10–50 mL) is the standard choice.

The diameter refers to the membrane disc inside the filter housing. A 13 mm syringe filter has an effective filtration area of approximately 0.92 cm² and handles up to 10–15 mL per filter; use with 1–10 mL syringes for small-volume samples. A 30 mm filter (Globe Scientific welded format) has an effective area of approximately 4.91 cm² and handles 10–100 mL; use with 10–60 mL syringes for medium-volume solutions such as media supplements and antibody stock preparations.

Nylon syringe filters (0.22 µm or 0.45 µm, 13 mm or 25 mm) are the standard for HPLC mobile phase filtration and sample preparation because nylon tolerates acetonitrile, methanol, DMSO-water mixtures, and aqueous-organic solvents with low extractables and compatible particle retention. For pure organic solvents (neat DMSO, acetone), use PTFE (hydrophilic) syringe filters. Avoid PES and PVDF for high-concentration organic solvents.

Globe Scientific sterile syringe filters are individually gamma-irradiated, individually wrapped, and printed with an expiry date for QC tracking. Sterile formats are available in PES, PVDF, CA, MCE, and nylon membranes at 13 mm and 30 mm (30 mm for Globe Scientific) diameters. Non-sterile bulk-packed formats (PVDF 30 mm, nylon 30 mm) are available for HPLC and analytical applications where filtrate sterility is not required. Globe Scientific is ISO 9001:2015 certified.

Globe Scientific syringe filters have a maximum operating pressure of 6 bar (87 psi). Applying manual plunger force to a 10 mL syringe typically generates 0.5–2 bar under normal conditions — well within the rated limit. If excessive plunger force is required before the full sample volume has filtered, the membrane is clogged and the filter should be replaced; forced filtration above the rated pressure can rupture the housing-membrane bond.

Syringe filters are single-use, single-pass disposables and should not be reused. Reuse carries two risks: incomplete sterilization of the membrane (carryover bacteria or particulates from the previous sample contaminate the next filtrate), and membrane integrity compromise from the first pressurization event which may allow passage of particles in subsequent uses. The cost per filter is negligible relative to the reagents, time, and culture costs at risk from contamination.

MBP stocks Globe Scientific syringe filters across all available membrane types (PES, PVDF, CA, MCE, nylon) in 13 mm and 30 mm diameters, 0.22 µm and 0.45 µm pore sizes, sterile and non-sterile formats, with direct PO-based ordering and institutional pricing support. MBP is a registered vendor for Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Vanderbilt University, and MD Anderson Cancer Center.

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