Comparative testing of tangential microfiltration for microbial cultures.

In an attempt to extend and intensify the productive periods of bioprocesses, a self-cleaning tangential filtration device was examined. Built into a special-design bioreactor, its cell retention was evaluated for continuous-flow operation with selected examples of bacteria (Escherichia coli), yeasts (Sacharomyces cerevisiae), and filamentous fungi (Aspergillus niger). Performance characteristics such as filtration rates and cell accumulation were assessed as a function of filter rotational speed, operating pressure, cultivation time, and microfilter type (i.