Sterilizing filtration of micellar water prior to filling

Our client specializes in the development, manufacturing, filling, and distribution of body-care, cosmetic, and perfumery products. For 35 years, the company has been an expert in toiletries, hair care, skincare, children’s products, and perfumery.

It turned to our expertise for two issues:

• Excessively frequent filter changes
• The need for sterilizing filtration prior to filling

La société procède à la filtration d’eau micellaire avant conditionnement. L’eau micellaire est capable d’éliminer toute trace de maquillage, sébum et impuretés divers sans décaper ni agresser la peau, en une seule étape.

Le process de filtration était constitué de deux étapes, pour des batchs compris en 10 tonnes et 20 tonnes :

• Une première par une préfiltration à un seuil de 0,2 µm Nominal
• Une seconde filtration terminale à un seuil de 0,2 µm absolu mais uniquement en rétention particulaire.

Les cartouches de filtration sont installées dans 2 carters en série de 3 cartouches filtrantes de taille 20 pouces chacun.

Deux problématiques ont été mises en évidence :

• une consommation anormalement élevée de filtres (1 jeu toutes les heures) ;
• et l’incapacité de notre client à prouver, en cas d’audit, la stérilité de la solution conditionnée, faute de certification biologique de la cartouche en filtration finale actuellement utilisée

The company performs micellar-water filtration prior to filling. Micellar water can remove all traces of makeup, sebum, and various impurities without stripping or irritating the skin, in a single step.

The filtration process consisted of two stages for batches ranging from 10 to 20 tonnes:

• A first stage using prefiltration at a 0.2 µm nominal threshold
• A second final filtration at a 0.2 µm absolute threshold, but solely for particulate retention

The filter cartridges are installed in two housings in series, each fitted with three 20-inch filter cartridges.

Two issues were identified:

and the client’s inability to demonstrate, in the event of an audit, the sterility of the filled solution, due to the lack of biological certification of the final-filtration cartridge currently in use

an abnormally high filter consumption (one set every hour)

The naturally hydrophilic PES membrane, with low protein binding and very low extractable levels, is ideal for systems requiring high filtration quality. Made of a polypropylene cage, core, and endcaps, this filter cartridge has undergone a bacterial challenge test (LRV ˃ 10¹¹) to meet the requirements of sterilizing filtration. The filtration threshold is therefore 0.2 µm absolute, bacterial grade.

All these cartridges are thermally bonded and contain no adhesives. Each unit is pre-rinsed with ultrapure water and undergoes an integrity test prior to final assembly. They are delivered with an individual certificate of conformity, including integrity-test data.

Whereas previously a single set of filter cartridges could only process 3 tonnes, the filtration configuration we implemented made it possible to filter 64 tonnes of product with only three sets of cartridges. Our client increased filter life by a factor of 7, while fully complying with the qualitative and sterilizing requirements of the filled micellar water. The client now plans to submit to us its desired improvements for the production stage.

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