Chemicals/Gases
  • Trapping Airborne Molecules -- Part 2: Mechanisms
    Clean air and gases are critical for many industrial processes. Trace molecular impurities can contaminate and subvert a process. As mentioned last month, given the diverse nature of molecular contaminants, there is no universal AMC (airborne molecular contaminant) filter or purifier. However, filters may be divided into three major categories based on the mechanism of action. The categories are relevant to both AMC and to purification of pure gases.
  • Trapping Airborne Molecules: Molecular Filters, Gas Purifiers - Part 1
    “AMC filters don’t work.” “We don’t need to trap AMC’s.” These facile sentiments impede progress in critical applications.
  • When Good Gas Goes Bad: Gas Purifiers At Work
    Once obsessed with metallic impurity levels, reducing variations in the delivered gas purity has become the primary focus of contamination control engineers managing gas distributions systems. When used correctly at bulk sources or at the point-of-use, gas purifiers can remove harmful impurities down to the ppt range.

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Isolation Technology
  • What to Know When Considering a Cleanroom
    Does your business plan include the development of an area in your plant or laboratory for clean manufacturing or other procedures? Are you concerned that you make the right purchase? Do you want to make sure you consider the right factors when you evaluate different models?
  • Point of View: Isolation Technology Looking Back and Into the Future in Healthcare Applications
    PHARMACEUTICAL Twenty five years ago, the concept of using an isolator in pharmaceutical and hospital applications was only a far out thought. The original “BUGS” (Barrier Users Group) was in its formative stages as an idea to improve sterility assurance of aseptically filled parenteral products. Containment of hazardous drugs was accomplished by putting the operator in a “space suit.”
  • The Benefits of Isolator and Aseptic Processing
    With the need to formulate and fill more potent products aseptically, the use of isolators will continue to grow.

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Monitoring Equipment
  • Point of View Enhancing the Facility Monitoring Program
    Regarding the article in the June issue (The Importance of On-Going Facility Monitoring) which brought attention to what the title of the article addresses there is another, often forgotten aspect of the monitoring program, which is the witness plate sampling and counting method as described in IEST-STD-CC1246D. This standard was formerly a military standard (MIL STD 1246). Other industries wanted the same testing conducted to verify the cleanliness of their products and controlled environments. Therefore, it became an international standard for all industries.
  • Point of View - The Importance of Ongoing Facility Monitoring
    Facility Monitoring and the routine periodic documentation of this information are vital to maintaining the cleanroom facility at optimal operational efficiency.
  • The Leaning of Thermal Validation
    Validation professionals spend extensive time validating temperature to ensure the integrity of controlled environments and to fulfill compliance requirements.

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HEPA Filters
  • Not All HEPA Filtration Systems Are Created Equal: 5 Tips for Selecting the Right Filter
    If you’re planning a new cleanroom, or maintaining an existing one, your choice of filters can be critical to product quality, production yields, and regulatory compliances. The key to achieving contamination control, whether in the hospital operating room or the semiconductor assembly area, is the air filtration system, which is ultimately dependent on the reliable performance of HEPA (and in some cases ULPA) filters. This includes cleanrooms and mini clean filtration “environments” such as biosafety cabinets, clean benches, and fume hoods.
  • Airborne Molecular Contamination Part 3 - Head It Off
    AMC can be a “silent poisoner” of your process. Poisons sap strength — including product quality and profits. Stop AMC at the source. Where in your process flow might it be an issue? Could AMC arise from the outside environment or prior processing in your supply chain? Is it being generated inside your facility?
  • Biological Safety Cabinets: Controlling Contamination
    In order to maximize productivity while maintaining the highest level of safety, biosafety cabinets have become a crucial component.

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Microenvironments
Ultra Pure Water/Water Systems
  • Water Filtration Snuffs Hazards of Industrial Dust
    Wet dust filters not only ensure regulatory compliance but can also improve worker comfort and production flow. The potentially explosive dust resulting from metal finishing operations is a major concern among fabricators today, not only due to safety hazards but also because recent changes in NFPA regulations have toughened compliance.
  • Ultra Pure Water Immersion Lithography: Purification Needs and Solutions
    Optical lithography has enabled semiconductor manufacturers to increase chip capacity at astounding rates by shrinking circuit line widths. Printing of these finer lines has been achieved using a progressively smaller wavelength light source, which currently isa 193-nm laser targeted to the 65-nm features. To extend the 193-nm illumination to 45-nm and perhaps beyond, the industry will switch to immersion lithography using ultra-pure water (UPW) which is placed between the final lens and the wafer.
  • Water: Perfect Solvent? Or Poor Solvent?
    Critical cleaning in biological and pharmaceutical industries depends upon a critical characteristic of water. Critical cleaning in finishing, manufacturing, and research has to overcome that characteristic of water. Our life, our planet, health, and even critical cleaning depend on it: hydrogen-bonding within water.

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