Filter sterilization

Sterilization using filters is common for making liquid reagents. Sometimes liquid reagents cannot be autoclaved. The lab uses two systems for filter sterilization: syringes and vacuum. These techniques rely on the ability of the filter to prevent biological entities through and are only as good as their pore size. Filters are never as good at sterilization as autoclaves.

Syringes
The lab has 1, 3, 10, and 60 ml syringes which all fit sterile filter tips made by Corning. Obviously, these are used for sterilizing small volumes. These tips are located on the shelf at the end of Christiane/Elisa's bench. The syringes themselves are located above Evgeny's bench.

Vacuum filter sterilization
This method draws the liquid to be sterilized through the filter by creating suction. The lab keeps 100, 250, 500, 1,000 ml filter sterilization flasks for this purpose above Evgeny's bench which have reservoirs pre-attached. Additionally, sometimes just the sterile reservoir/screw-cap filter are available, which can be used to filter a liquid into an autoclaved glass flask with a standard diameter cap.