The ultrafiltration (UF) Silicon Carbide (SiC) membrane product manufacturered by Denmark’s LiqTech International Inc has been approved for liquid sterilization according to the recognized ASTM standard F838‑05 for liquid filtration.
This standard is widely used for pharmaceutical, food & beverage and drinking water applications.
The combination of the performance of SiC membranes compared with any other ceramic membrane material in terms of liquid flux, chemical resistance and lifetime, now combined with the capability of providing sterile filtration, represents disruptive technology to the existing norm. LiqTech describes it as “an industry game-changer for drinking water, biotech and food & beverage applications”.
The SiC membranes enable mechanical removal of bacteria, which is cheaper and more reliable than any other sterilization technology. LiqTech believes it is the only membrane manufacturer worldwide to achieve this.
On the basis of this ASTM standard, LiqTech has decided to expand its strategic focus beyond the existing business areas of industrial wastewater treatment and produced water treatment. It will enter new areas such as biotech, food & beverage, and drinking water, where the LiqTech SiC membranes will offer sterile filtration with a significant value proposition for the end-users.
The independent Danish Technological Institute (DTI) laboratory conducted the certification according to the ASTM standard. Following the test procedure set forth by ASTM, the LiqTech SiC membranes were evaluated in terms of bacteria rejection. DTI found the following:
The test determining the membrane filters’ ability to retain bacteria has been evaluated based on the ASTM standard F838-05 for liquid filtration. The LiqTech membrane filter has been challenged with a Pseudomonas diminuta suspension corresponding to the concentration of 107 organisms per cm² of effective filtration area. The LiqTech membrane filter has the ability to retain bacteria corresponding to a log 7 reduction according to F838‑05.”
The complete report can be found the company website. The ability to retain bacteria corresponding to a log 7 reduction (99.99999% removal), is recognized as sterile filtration, ie, the membrane can be considered as a bacterial barrier.