Plasma fractionation by dead-end membrane filtration: Effects of membrane properties and plasma flux¹

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Charcosset, C. | Ding, L.R. | Jaffrin, M.Y.

Affiliations: URA CNRS 858, UTC BP 649, 60206 Compiègne, France

Note: [1] Paper read at the 7th International Congress of Biorheology, Symposium 11: Biorheology Related to Artificial Organs, Nancy, 1989 and reviewed in accordance with the guidelines of Biorheology.

Note: [] Accepted by: Editor D. Lerche

Abstract: Plasma fractionation by membrane filtration permits the reinfusion of the patient with his own albumin. In this study, the influence of membrane nature and plasma flux on plasma fractionation in dead-end mode is investigated with acetate hollow fiber filters. It is found that transmembrane pressure TMP rises exponentially with time, the rate of increase being proportional to plasma flux. The faster TMP rises, the faster the drop in sieving coefficient SC. It is also found that albumin SC is a function of TMP and not of plasma flux. Theoretical analysis of the dead-end filtration was performed. This theoretical model indicates that the observed variation of TMP with time is consistent with the assumptions that pore volume decreases proportionally to the filtrate plasma volume.

Keywords: membrane plasma fractionation, dead-end filtration, membrane nature effect

DOI: 10.3233/BIR-1991-281-204

Journal: Biorheology, vol. 28, no. 1-2, pp. 27-37, 1991