A syringe filter is also referred to as a disposable syringe filter. It is a fast, easy, and reliable filter for small samples. Laboratories use it as a regular part of their workflow. It serves as a primary filter for sample preparation. It filters and sterilizes lab biological fluids, culture media, and additives. It functions with disposable syringes.

Syringe filters are vital for filtration. They sterilize and filter water and organic solvents (like HPLC, UHPLC). So how should we select from a range of filter sizes and filter membrane types? Reading this article will clarify your doubts.

Are you using syringe filters correctly? You may need this guide: How to Use Syringe Filters: A Comprehensive Guide

Diameter Sizes

Syringe filters have sizes of 4 mm, 13-15 mm, 25-28 mm, 33 mm, and 50 mm. Chromatographic sample filtration uses 13 mm and 25 mm sizes as standard.

To choose the right syringe filter size, we should follow this rule: volume goes up as the filter gets bigger. To cut sample loss and reduce membrane fouling, pick a filter diameter based on the sample volume.

Syringe filters of different diameters.

4 mm: recommended for 0.05 mL - 1 mL of filtrate

13-15 mm: recommended for 1 mL - 10 mL of filtrate

25-28 mm: recommended for 10 mL - 50 mL of filtrate

33 mm: recommended for 10 mL - 100 mL of filtrate

50 mm: recommended for 100 mL - 500 mL of filtrate

The 25 mm syringe filter has a higher price point than the 13 mm filter. The 25 mm syringe filter has a larger filtration area and can handle more sample volumes. The 13 mm syringe filter is cheaper. It is suitable for processing small samples.

What are the advantages of PES syringe filters? Learn more here: PES Syringe Filters: Advancing Life Sciences

Pore Sizes

The pore size of the filter membrane is also the primary factor in selecting a syringe filter. The main sizes of the filter membrane are 0.1 μm, 0.20 to 0.22 μm, 0.45 μm, 0.8 μm, and 100 μm. Pore sizes of 0.22 μm and 0.45 μm dominate HPLC and GC applications.

Scenarios for using syringe filters with different pore sizes.

The 0.22 μm syringe filter is often used for sterilization filtration. A 0.22 μm pore size captures most bacteria and microorganisms completely. The test is for processing samples. It requires a sterile environment. Using a 0.22 μm membrane syringe filter is a very good choice. This is true for making drugs, biological products, and injection solutions. It is also true for making culture media. You can also use it for removing fine particles, cell culture, and more.

The 0.45 μm syringe filter extracts particles from liquids with precision. It can remove large particles. It is great for coarse filtration. Researchers need this for tasks. They use it to pretreat environmental samples, wastewater, and some foods. It removes larger particles from the sample with precision. It can also filter samples before analysis. This removes suspended matter to avoid damaging the chromatograph.

Want to learn more about 0.45 syringe filter? Read this article: The Complete Guide to 0.45 Micron Filters: Everything You Need to Know

4 mm: recommended for 0.05 mL - 1 mL filtrate

13-15 mm: recommended for 1 mL - 10 mL filtrate

25-28 mm: recommended for 10 mL - 50 mL filtrate

33 mm: recommended for 10 mL - 100 mL filtrate

50 mm: recommended for 100 mL - 500 mL filtrate

Volume Considerations

Different diameters and pore sizes have different filtration effects. The most intuitive impact is the filtration speed and the retention volume of the filter membrane.

Filtration speed

Because the pore size has a larger filtration area, there will be a greater flow rate in the process of pushing the syringe. Small-sized syringe filters have a smaller filtration area, so the flow rate is slower than that of large-sized syringe filters. Small-sized syringe filters are more suitable for filtering small amounts of samples or occasions where the flow rate is not required.

Retention volume of filter membrane.

Small-sized syringe filters have smaller retention volumes than large-sized syringe filters. Smaller retention volumes mean that less sample is retained in the filter membrane and syringe housing during sample filtration, which can effectively reduce sample loss and is very suitable for precious and rare sample filtration.

Both small-sized and large-sized filters have their own advantages. When choosing filters, experimenters should choose the appropriate syringe filter size according to the requirements of experimental equipment and filtered samples.

Contact us

Aijiren provides a full range of syringe filters. Syringe filters are disposable products and are not recommended for reuse, which can prevent the residue of one sample from being carried over to the next sample. However, if the same sample is being processed, it can be reused 2-3 times as appropriate.

Are syringe filters reusable? This article will give you the answers: For Syringe Filters you Will Reused?

Syringe Filter 0.22 Micron: An Essential Tool for Laboratory Filtration

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