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Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Biomembrane Fabrication by the Solvent-assisted Lipid Bilayer (SALB) Method
Published on: December 1, 2015
Virus passage through track-etch membranes modified by salinity and a nonionic surfactant
C D Lytle1, L B Routson, N B Jain
1Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, Maryland 20857, USA. cdl@cdrh.fda.gov
Abstract:
Why do viruses sometimes not pass through larger pores in track-etch filters? Increasing the salinity (0.8 to 160 mM Na+) decreased phiX174 and PRD1 passage through track-etch polycarbonate membranes (sodium dodecyl sulfate coated but not polyvinylpyrrolidone coated) and PRD1 passage through polyester membranes. Undiminished passage when 0.1% Tween 80 was added implied that nonionic virus adsorption occurred and indicated that high levels of salinity decreased virus passage by decreasing electrostatic repulsion that prevented adsorption.
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