Filtration methods and devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016362718-A1
Application number	US-201615185792-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 17, 2016
Priority date	Jun 7, 2010
Publication date	Dec 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of filtering a liquid sample that includes passing a sample comprising at least one biological organism through a filter membrane at a passive water volume flux of at least 10 L/m 2 ·h·psi, wherein the filter membrane comprises a Bubble Point pore size of no more than 1.0 μm, thereby retaining at least one biological organism on the surface of the membrane; and detecting the at least one biological organism retained on the surface of the filter membrane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A filter device comprising:
a pocket comprising a pocket surface that defines a pocket volume; an absorbent member disposed on at least a portion of the pocket surface, wherein the absorbent member is a hydrogel; and a filter membrane disposed on at least a portion of the absorbent member in fluid communication with the pocket volume.

2 . The filter device of claim 1 , wherein the filter membrane is a multi-zone membrane.

3 . The filter device of claim 2 , wherein the multi-zone membrane comprises an open side in functional communication with the absorbent member and a tight side in fluid communication with the pocket volume.

4 . The filter device of claim 3 , wherein the tight side has a smaller Bubble Point pore size relative to the open side.

5 . The filter device of claim 3 , wherein the functional communication is capable of generating a water flux gradient sufficient to draw liquid across the filter membrane and into the absorbent member.

6 . The filter device of claim 1 , wherein the filter membrane forms the pocket.

7 . The filter device of claim 1 , wherein the absorbent member is enveloped by the filter membrane.

8 . A filter device, comprising:
a container, a filter membrane forming a pocket having an exterior surface, an interior surface, and an interior volume defined by the interior surface; an absorbent member comprising a hydrogel; wherein both the filter membrane and the absorbent member are disposed in the container, wherein the absorbent member is disposed in the container outside of the interior volume.

9 . The filter device of claim 8 , wherein the container comprises a flexible, deformable container.

10 . The filter device of claim 8 , wherein the pocket further comprises a nonwoven backing disposed adjacent the exterior surface of the filter membrane.

11 . The filter device of claim 8 , wherein the absorbent member is disposed on at least a portion of the exterior surface.

12 . The filter device of claim 8 , further comprising a support member disposed in the container.

13 . The filter device of claim 8 , wherein the pocket further comprises a sample port.

14 . The filter device of claim 8 , wherein the multi-zone membrane comprises an open side in functional communication with the absorbent member and a tight side in fluid communication with the interior volume.

15 . The filter device of claim 14 , wherein the tight side has a smaller Bubble Point pore size relative to the open side.

16 . The filter device of claim 14 , wherein the functional communication is capable of generating a water flux gradient sufficient to draw liquid across the filter membrane and into the absorbent member.

17 . The filter device of claim 16 , wherein the water flux gradient is at least 10 L/m 2 ·h·psi.

18 . The filter device of claim 8 , wherein the filter membrane has a Bubble Point pore size of no more than 1.0 μm.

19 . The filter device of claim 8 , wherein the filter membrane comprises a polyolefin porous membrane, an ethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene copolymer porous membrane, a polyacrylonitrile porous membrane, a polycarbonate porous membrane, a polyester porous membrane, a cellulose ester porous membrane, a polyamide porous membrane, a polyethersulfone porous membrane, a polysulfone porous membrane, a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) porous membrane, a polyacrylonitrile nanofiber membrane, a PVDF nanofiber membrane, a cellulose ester nanofiber membrane, a polyvinyl acetate or alcohol nanofiber membrane, or a polyvinyl butyral nanofiber membrane.

20 . The filter device of claim 8 , wherein the filter membrane comprises a TIPS membrane or a nanofiber membrane.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Mach Patrick A
• Rajagopal Raj
• Xia Wensheng
• Zhou Jinsheng
• Guo Chunmei

Classifications

• C12Q1/24 Primary

  Methods of sampling, or inoculating or spreading a sample; Methods of physically isolating an intact microorganisms · CPC title

• C12Q1/689

  for bacteria · CPC title

• B01D2323/39

  Electrospinning · CPC title

• C12Q1/04 Primary

  Determining presence or kind of microorganism; Use of selective media for testing antibiotics or bacteriocides; Compositions containing a chemical indicator therefor {(C12Q1/6897 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B01J20/267

  Cross-linked polymers · CPC title