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Global plastic production now exceeds 460 million tons per year, and microplastics are now being detected everywhere from oceans to human tissue. In filtration and membrane science, this is not an abstract issue. It is something that is measured, tracked, and increasingly studied. As the research continues to develop tools to assess the impact on human health and the environment, it is reasonable to also examine what is happening on the materials side. 

Sterlitech recently attended Pittcon Conference + Expo 2026, held in San Antonio, Texas, where our team connected with scientists, researchers, and industry professionals from across the analytical and laboratory community.

Pressure-driven membrane technology has become a cornerstone process for protein separation and purification, offering a scalable and gentle alternative to traditional thermal and chemical methods Among the various membrane-based processes available today, pressure-driven processes, microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF), are most applicable due to their simplicity, scalability, and gentle operating conditions. These processes are used across biotechnology, dairy, food processing, and pharmaceutical industries. 

Microplastics are everywhere. Scientists have found them in the deepest ocean trenches, in Arctic ice, in agricultural soils, in drinking water, and increasingly, inside the human body itself. Researchers have identified microplastic particles in human blood, liver tissue, and even brain samples. Yet despite their ubiquity, one fundamental question has remained stubbornly difficult to answer: what exactly happens to these particles once they enter a living organism?

Polypropylene (PP) membranes have long been used across laboratory, pharmaceutical, medical device, and microelectronics industries. Their inherent hydrophobicity, broad chemical compatibility, and reliable airflow performance made them a preferred material for solvent filtration, particle control, and venting applications. As availability of polypropylene membrane products decreases, engineers and process specialists are evaluating alternative materials to maintain performance and supply continuity. 

Starting January 1, 2026, the following items from Rocker Scientific will feature new updates:  

Toray flat sheet products have been discontinued by Sterlitech and inventory has been depleted of the UTC-73HA, UTC-73AC, UTC-73UAC, and UTC-82V.  For more information or if you need assistance finding a suitable replacement product, please contact us!

Membrane selection critically impacts device performance, reliability, and regulatory compliance in specific applications. For diagnostic equipment, point-of-care devices, and therapeutic systems alike, three technical considerations determine the optimal solution for accelerating time to market while meeting demanding performance specifications.

What if the water flowing beneath our cities could tell us how healthy our communities really are?

Membrane-based desalination technologies play an important role in addressing global freshwater scarcity. Processes such as reverse osmosis (RO), nanofiltration (NF), forward osmosis (FO), and membrane distillation (MD) can be utilized due to energy efficiency, modularity, and high separation efficiency. However, the performance of these systems is governed by complex and interdependent variables, including membrane structure, surface chemistry, operating conditions, and feed-water composition.