Removal of microorganisms from fluid samples using nanofiber filtration media

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10064965-B2
Application number	US-201715691286-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2017
Priority date	Mar 19, 2009
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

A method for removing microorganisms from liquid samples and a nanofiber containing liquid filtration medium that simultaneously exhibits high liquid permeability and high microorganism retention. Microorganisms such as bacteria, particularly B. Diminuta , are removed from a liquid by passing the liquid through a porous nanofiber containing filtration medium having a B. Diminuta LRV greater than about 9, and the nanofiber(s) has a diameter from about 10 nm to about 1,000 nm. Another method for removing microorganisms such as bacteria and Mycloplasma , includes passing the liquid through a porous nanofiber containing filtration medium having a microorganism LRV greater than about 8, and the nanofiber(s) has a diameter from about 10 nm to about 1,000 nm. The filtration medium can be in the form of a fibrous electro spun polymeric nanofiber liquid filtration medium mat.

First claim

We claim:

1. A porous nanofiber containing filtration medium made by electrospinning a polymer, wherein the filtration medium exhibits full retention of Brevundimonas diminuta by size-based separation as measured in accordance with ASTM F838-83, a porosity from about 80% to about 95%, and a liquid permeability greater than about 1000 LMH/psi, wherein the nanofiber has a fiber diameter from about 10 nm to about 1,000 nm.

2. The filtration medium of claim 1 , wherein the filtration medium has a thickness ranging from about 1 μm to about 500 μm.

3. The filtration medium of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyimide, aliphatic polyamide, aromatic polyamide, polysulfone, cellulose acetate, polyether sulfone, polyurethane, poly(urea urethane), polybenzimidazole, polyetherimide, polyacrylonitrile, poly(ethylene terephthalate), polypropylene, polyaniline, poly(ethylene oxide), poly(ethylene naphthalate), poly(butylene terephthalate), styrene butadiene rubber, polystyrene, poly(vinyl chloride), poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinylidene fluoride), poly(vinyl butylene) and copolymers, derivative compounds, or blends thereof.

4. The filtration medium of claim 2 , wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyimide, aliphatic polyamide, aromatic polyamide, polysulfone, cellulose acetate, polyether sulfone, polyurethane, poly(urea urethane), polybenzimidazole, polyetherimide, polyacrylonitrile, poly(ethylene terephthalate), polypropylene, polyaniline, poly(ethylene oxide), poly(ethylene naphthalate), poly(butylene terephthalate), styrene butadiene rubber, polystyrene, poly(vinyl chloride), poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinylidene fluoride), poly(vinyl butylene) and copolymers, derivative compounds, or blends thereof.

5. The filtration medium of claim 1 , wherein the polymer comprises an aliphatic polyamide.

6. The filtration medium of claim 2 , wherein the polymer comprises an aliphatic polyamide.

7. The filtration medium of claim 1 , wherein the polymer comprises a blend of polymers or copolymers.

8. The filtration medium of claim 2 , wherein the polymer comprises a blend of polymers or copolymers.

9. The filtration medium of claim 1 , wherein the nanofiber is disposed on a porous support.

10. The filtration medium of claim 9 , wherein the porous support comprises one or more layers selected from the group consisting of spunbonded nonwovens, meltblown nonwovens, needle punched nonwovens, spunlaced nonwovens, wet laid nonwovens, resin-bonded nonwovens, woven fabrics, knit fabrics, paper, and combinations thereof.

11. The filtration medium of claim 2 , wherein the nanofiber is disposed on a porous support.

12. The filtration medium of claim 11 , wherein the porous support comprises one or more layers selected from the group consisting of spunbonded nonwovens, meltblown nonwovens, needle punched nonwovens, spunlaced nonwovens, wet laid nonwovens, resin-bonded nonwovens, woven fabrics, knit fabrics, paper, and combinations thereof.

13. The filtration medium of claim 3 , wherein the nanofiber is disposed on a porous support.

14. The filtration medium of claim 4 , wherein the porous support comprises one or more layers selected from the group consisting of spunbonded nonwovens, meltblown nonwovens, needle punched nonwovens, spunlaced nonwovens, wet laid nonwovens, resin-bonded nonwovens, woven fabrics, knit fabrics, paper, and combinations thereof.

15. The filtration medium of claim 5 , wherein the nanofiber is disposed on a porous support.

16. The filtration medium of claim 15 , wherein the porous support comprises one or more layers selected from the group consisting of spunbonded nonwovens, meltblown nonwovens, needle punched nonwovens, spunlaced nonwovens, wet laid nonwovens, resin-bonded nonwovens, woven fabrics, knit fabrics, paper, and combinations thereof.

17. The filtration medium of claim 1 , wherein the porosity is about 90%.

18. The filtration medium of claim 2 , wherein the porosity is about 90%.

19. The filtration medium of claim 3 , wherein the porosity is about 90%.

20. The filtration medium of claim 5 , wherein the porosity is about 90%.

Assignees

• Emd Millipore Corp

Inventors

• Kozlov Mikhail
• Moya Wilson
• Tkacik Gabriel

Classifications

• A61L2/022 Primary

  Filtration · CPC title

• A61L2103/05

  Living organisms or biological materials · CPC title

• C02F2303/04

  Disinfection · CPC title

• B01D2239/025

  comprising nanofibres · CPC title

• B01D39/1607

  the material being fibrous (B01D39/18 takes precedence) · CPC title