• Question: have you ever used filtration

    Asked by paulculkeen to Ciara, Emma, Cathal on 12 Nov 2013.
    • Photo: Emma Cahill

      Emma Cahill answered on 12 Nov 2013:

      Hi there, do you mean filtration for chemical solutions?
      I use filtration in the lab to clear out solutions I make to grow cells in. This solution is called “culture medium” and its enriched with everything a brain cell needs to grow happily in a dish, but I need to filter it before I use it to remove any traces of bacteria that might try and grow with the brain cells.

Comments

  • Photo: Michael

    Michael commented on :

    In synthesis labs, you had to stick filter paper into a Buchner funnel, hook it up to the vacuum and suck away the rubbish (hopefully) leaving behind nice coloured crystals of your material.
    At least in theory that’s where we used filtration.

    M

  • Photo: Sive

    Sive commented on :

    During lab practicals as an undergraduate we use different types of filtration to separate proteins out of various solutions. You can use filtration techniques based on selecting different-sized molecules or molecules with particular charges to separate out the specific proteins that you want.