Determining if a sterilizing grade filter is integral can be done via non-destructive integrity testing.
In the diffusive flow test the membrane is wet with water, and the upstream gas is then held constant at a specified pressure near, but somewhat below, the bubble point of an integral filter. A measurement is made of the flow rate of gas through the filter and compared to the manufacturer’s specification.
A measured flow rate equal to or less than the specified value indicates that the filter Is integral. A higher flow rate indicates that the filter being tested has pores or defects which were purged of water at the test pressure, resulting in bulk flow through the filter.
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