Rapid delipidation of and particulate removal from human serum by membrane filtration in a tangential flow system

Approximately 50% of the total lipids and virtually all of the colloids and particulates which impart turbidity to human serum are removed by filtration through 0.1 micrometer-poresize membrane filters in a high-volume tangential flow device. The advantages of the method over solvent extraction are: (a) no organic solvent(s) is added to the serum at any time, (b) filtrations can be performed rapidly at room temperature, (c) unstable lipoproteins and particulates are removed in 1 step, (d) scaleup from hundreds of ml to hundreds of liters is readily achievable, and(e) process time is markedly reduced.