Ultrafiltration unit promises numerous advantages over stirred cell technology, including its ability to concentrate a sample of 250ml by 20 times in less than 30 minutes
The Vivacell 250 ultrafiltration unit from Vivascience Sartorius is described as a unique concept for the concentration of larger biological samples.
The advantages over stirred cell technology are numerous.
One of the most crucial steps at every stage of the protein purification protocol is concentration of the sample.
This step enables the gathering of important data including specific activity, yield, recovery and the degree of/or fold purification.
The Vivacell 250 allows the concentration of a 250ml sample at any one time and uses gas pressure to force the samples against the membrane, which is housed in a plastic support structure.
A variety of molecular weight cut off membranes are available to cater for different applications throughout the laboratory.
The speed, quality and flexibility of the Vivacell 250 far outperforms stirred cell technology, says the company.
Set up or membrane replacement takes just a few seconds, while quick connect fittings and simple screw closure further enhance ease of use.
It has been shown that the Vivacell 250, with a 10kDa MWCO membrane, can concentrate a sample of 250ml by 20 times in less than 30 minutes, it is claimed.
The Vivacell 250 unit can be used freestanding on a bench top or in a refrigerator for maximum simplicity, or used on a laboratory shaker for the fastest concentrations.
The gentle vortex action controls membrane polarisation while greatly reducing the shear effects typical of stirring mechanisms.
The Vivacell 250 concentrator has the added advantage that one size handles a volume range from under 50ml to 250ml and a unique conical dead stop built into the bottom of the membrane insert allows concentrations to under 1ml.