Question:

Which of the following is not used as sterilants for membranes ?

Show Hint

Acid washes (such as nitric acid or phosphoric acid) are used to dissolve mineral deposits, while sanitizers and sterilants (like chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, or metabisulfite) are used to destroy microorganisms.
  • Formaldehyde
  • Nitric acid
  • Hypochlorite solution
  • Sodium metasbisulphite solution
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Membrane filtration systems (such as Ultrafiltration and Reverse Osmosis) are widely used in dairy processing.
These membranes must be sanitized and sterilized to prevent biofouling, but the chemicals used must not damage the membrane polymer.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

Let us evaluate the chemicals listed:
- Formaldehyde (A): Historically used as a chemical sterilant and storage preservative to prevent microbial growth on polymeric membranes during long-term shutdowns.
- Hypochlorite solution (C): A chlorine-based sanitizer used at low concentrations to sanitize chlorine-tolerant membranes.
- Sodium metabisulphite solution (D): Commonly used as a preservative and sterilant to store membranes, as it releases sulfur dioxide to prevent microbial growth.
- Nitric acid (B): This is a strong mineral acid used in the dairy industry to remove mineral scale (milkstone) during the Clean-in-Place (CIP) cycle. It is a cleaning agent, not a sterilant.
Additionally, high concentrations of strong nitric acid can degrade the polymeric structure of many membranes.
Therefore, nitric acid is not used as a membrane sterilant.

Step 3: Final Answer:

Nitric acid is not used as a sterilant for membranes.
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