Whatman glass vacuum filter sterilization

[slammingsteel68]

This is one of those times where ocd is a good thing lol. Having my tattoo guy sterilize everything for me. When you transfer from the flask to your vials are you doing that out in the open or under a hepa hood?

 

[mdhx3]

This is one of those times where ocd is a good thing lol. Having my tattoo guy sterilize everything for me. When you transfer from the flask to your vials are you doing that out in the open or under a hepa hood?

I use a laminar flow hood; but I made it myself. I took the idea from some mushroom growing forum member (EvilMushroom66) and modified it. Don’t know anything about mushrooms, but evidently they keep those cultures sterile. I just did a search for “diy laminar flow hood” on google. That was just the one I liked the best; but there are lots of instructables. I came out less than $300 for a 24x48 hood, using a blower motor I had in my shop.
I used all acrylic plate for my walls rather than plywood. It took some time to build but it was fun.

Another note about the filter flasks:
I bought some white rubber bung plugs that fit them. They are designed for regular thin-wall erlenmeyer flasks; but will work on the heavy filter flasks with some effort.
I put a piece of sterile IV tubing through one of those plugs with a female luer bulkhead fitting. From there I use an IV extension tubing to a 3-way stopcock. The sterile tubing allows me to draw the sterile oil from the flask with a syringe; leaving the cap or bung in place so nothing can get inside.
I just put everything under the hood (flask of oil, vials, stoppers, syringe), put on a new pair of sterile gloves, draw the oil up, inject it into the vials and put the stoppers in. Once all the vials are filled and stoppered; I take them out and crimp on the caps.
I do kinda feel like Walter White with all this; and my wife was like “WTF!” when she saw it all. But it’s fun and I know my stuff is completely sterile.

 

[slammingsteel68]

Thanks for help. I made a hood out of a sandblasting cabinet from harborfreight. Thought it might be overkill but it seems like I am on the right track. Love the stopper idea and will be adding that before I brew this week. I was going to pour into another beaker and draw from there. Thanks for saving me that step. This seems a lot like when I brew beer. 90% cleaning and 10% actual work.

 

[mdhx3]

Thanks for help. I made a hood out of a sandblasting cabinet from harborfreight. Thought it might be overkill but it seems like I am on the right track. Love the stopper idea and will be adding that before I brew this week. I was going to pour into another beaker and draw from there. Thanks for saving me that step. This seems a lot like when I brew beer. 90% cleaning and 10% actual work.

No prob man. Glad to offer anything that might help. And yes sir, at least 90% cleaning and prepping.

But it is all gonna be worth it. I actually drained a big abscess on a patient on New Year's Eve. He got it from a bad injection in the deltoid. I didn't ask him if it was aas he was injecting; but the location of the abscess and his physique answered before I asked.
They are so painful and can lead to vast tissue damage. The abscess was big enough I had to pack it with iodoform and refer him to surgery to follow up. It just made all the stuff I bought and the work involved well worth it.

I like the blast cabinet idea. I hadn't thought of that.

 

[Digger]

FYI, I've heard people use the air inlet on the erlynmeyer flask to pour into their vials. Never tried it but heard it works pretty good.

Though I like the sterile iv tubing better.

 

[mdhx3]

FYI, I've heard people use the air inlet on the erlynmeyer flask to pour into their vials. Never tried it but heard it works pretty good.

Though I like the sterile iv tubing better.

It will certainly pour from the vacuum port; but, for me, it was difficult to control the flow. That is where I got the idea of drawing it up with a syringe; and it just grew into my current method from there.
It is weird to think about the thought and work I have put into this over the last couple of months. I wish I had been this motivated and had this much fun in grad school........

 

[slammingsteel68]

The blast cabinet just seemed easier to use. Sealed all the seams with silicone. Then I made up ductwork from a hepa room filter unit to the exhaust port on the cabinet. Left the gloves off of it so air can flow out and I can get work done. Planning to run all my gso through a .45 first then brew then .22. Think I have 200 into it and a few hours to put it all together.

Pouring out of the spout is an idea as well. Doing 50ml bottles so brew 50. Fill a bottle and brew the other 50 would also work I would think.