Amicon filter alternatives

[ghowell]

Hi all,

I have always used the Amicon filters (50k and 3k) for cleaning up antibodies and polymer during conjugation experiments, but do people use any alternatives? I'm interested in comparing them from a performace and a price point and was wonder which alternatives might be in use.
Thanks in advance

Gareth

[richardellis]

Hi Gareth, hope you're well. We've also found ourselves in this situation of looking for an alternative - but with a lot more urgency, as it seems there is a shortage of the 3kDa filters p/n UFC500396 (only that MWCO, the 50 and 100 kDa are available). From searching it appears that extends beyond the local UK stock and there's an issue at the manufacturing end. Did you find anything?

Did anyone else source alternative filters, or alternative materials in the amicon range if they have a suitable membrane other than the regenerated cellulose one? Thanks, Rich.

[DMcDonald]

Hi Rich,

Last time this supply issue happened we bought some PALL 3K nanosep ones as a contingency. We didn't end up using them but kept meaning to give them a go so I guess now is the time to pull our finger out and do it. They're about £45 for a 24 pack. If I remember correctly, Fluidigm have used these themselves previously so should be ok.

We'll let you know how they fair (will be in combo with the millipore 30K filter)

Speak soon,
David

[ghowell]

Hi Rich, we ended up using the Pierce Protein Concentrators PES columns (3K MWCO) from Fisher Scientific (cat no 11345402). We've probably done about a 100 reactions with these. They are a bit expensive cf the Amicon one and a little more cumbersome but appear to perform perfectly fine amd I'll go back to these if (or maybe when!) we have supply issues with the Amicon ones. Hope that helps.

[richardellis]

Thanks both, I have also been suggested the Sartorius ones which worked for someone else:
Sartorius Vivaspin 500 3000 MWCO pn VS0191
So it sounds like we have a few options until supply is restored. Much appreciated!

[hwtchen]

Hi Rich, we ended up using the Pierce Protein Concentrators PES columns (3K MWCO) from Fisher Scientific (cat no 11345402). We've probably done about a 100 reactions with these. They are a bit expensive cf the Amicon one and a little more cumbersome but appear to perform perfectly fine amd I'll go back to these if (or maybe when!) we have supply issues with the Amicon ones. Hope that helps.

Hi there, thanks for this suggestion. I just ordered them. I am wondering if you found the Pierce PES more cumbersome because of the "Pre-rinse" step or something else?

[ghowell]

Hi @hwtchen, sorry for the slow reply - they were cumbersome due to the filter and the tube both having caps. Easily rectified by clipping the tube cap off! Hope that helps. Gareth