Harm Reduction Micron Filter Questions: What Can Get Through?

[dopiate]

They are free in the UK at needle exchanges that stock them.

Interesting. That really doesn't make any sense to me why they wouldn't use them then.

 

[CretiNation]

Microcrystalline Cellulose:

Originally Posted by djsim
Microcrystalline cellulose is as small as 5 microns, so no micron filter is going to help. It doesn't dissolve in water or organic solvents so imagine how long it will sit in blood and tissues.

So, even with a 0.20 micron filter, it appears that microcrystalline could still be in it, unless you filtered against it a different way (i.e. cotton) or if the pill in question only had microcrystalline cellulose in the capsule, and not the innards. If I'm wrong someone may correct me.

So, if the microcrystalline cellulose is not just the capsule and you can't just pull it apart and throw it aside, then despite a 0.2 micron filter, it will still be in the solution.

Microcrystalline Cellulose - one of the "bad guys", like talc, or silicone dioxide.

dj, Cap'n: i do not understand either of your posts. if microcrystalline cellulose isn't any smaller than 5 microns, how could it possibly fit through a space of only 0.22 microns? figuratively, the ball would be 20 times larger than the cup. do i misunderstand?

 

[dopiate]

dj, Cap'n: i do not understand either of your posts. if microcrystalline cellulose isn't any smaller than 5 microns, how could it possibly fit through a space of only 0.22 microns? figuratively, the ball would be 20 times larger than the cup. do i misunderstand?

Thanks for saying something because i was wondering this myself but didn't want to say anything.

 

[Eight0Eight]

Yeah, I was led to believe that the 0.22 micron filter was so fine that it was able to actually filter bacteria.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Absolutely dead serious.

I started going to a shitty group for users, out of the 10-11 of us there, 3 of them where on crutches as a direct result of hitting the groin for years.

There are also a lot of users in town like this.

...

They are free in the UK at needle exchanges that stock them.

Wow, I truly feel sorry for the 3 of them with crutches. I feel bad for everyone actually...that's a very sad situation.

I wish wheel filters were free at the needle exchange I go to...

 

[Captain.Heroin]

dj, Cap'n: i do not understand either of your posts. if microcrystalline cellulose isn't any smaller than 5 microns, how could it possibly fit through a space of only 0.22 microns? figuratively, the ball would be 20 times larger than the cup. do i misunderstand?

I don't either lol, I thought about that one myself and took DJ's word on it since I've never used a micron filter. I don't have to, seeing as I don't shoot pills with talc or microcrystalline cellulose.

I think footclan's explanation made sense. However, I'll see if DJsim or Tchort can post a better explanation.

 

[dopiate]

1 micron = 1 micrometer (um)
0.22 micron = 0.22 micrometer(um)

A micron filter should be able to filter out microcrystalline cellulose

 

[djsim]

To clarify, I got it wrong it seems. I was thinking the small blue micron filters were 22um (not 0.22um), so these filters WILL work with microcrystalline cellulose;

"the microcrystalline cellulose has a mean particle size within the range of 5 to 35 microns" -- http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/5976600/claims.html

Also, 0.22um will filter out bacteria, which is really important when it comes to stuff like bupe which sometimes has been in someone's mouth before reaching you. A 0.22um filter WILL NOT filter viruses (like HIV, Hepatitis), nor will it filter fungi (such as Candida strains which can cause blindness)

 

[djsim]

To clarify, I got it wrong it seems. I was thinking the small blue micron filters were 22um (not 0.22um), so these filters WILL work with microcrystalline cellulose;

"the microcrystalline cellulose has a mean particle size within the range of 5 to 35 microns" -- http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/5976600/claims.html

Having read a bit further at the quoted link, I am still not 100% sure that MCC is only 5 microns at the smallest, as the text also quotes MCC as having "mean particle size of less than 15 microns". This could still allow for smaller particles since:
1) mean size is just the average... even if 5% of the particles are smaller than 0.22um, then there's still some MCC getting thru
2) "less than 15 microns" could mean <0.22 microns even though it doesn't seem so the way it is worded.

So we can assume it is safe, but until someone finds evidence categorically saying the size is no smaller than 0.22 microns we don't know really

 

[Captain.Heroin]

To clarify, I got it wrong it seems. I was thinking the small blue micron filters were 22um (not 0.22um), so these filters WILL work with microcrystalline cellulose;

"the microcrystalline cellulose has a mean particle size within the range of 5 to 35 microns" -- http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/5976600/claims.html

Also, 0.22um will filter out bacteria, which is really important when it comes to stuff like bupe which sometimes has been in someone's mouth before reaching you. A 0.22um filter WILL NOT filter viruses (like HIV, Hepatitis), nor will it filter fungi (such as Candida strains which can cause blindness)

Cool, so we've re-clarified: micron filters of 0.2 will filter out microcrystalline cellulose. Cool.

I'm glad my bupe hasn't been in someone else's mouth before reaching me...

Having read a bit further at the quoted link, I am still not 100% sure that MCC is only 5 microns at the smallest, as the text also quotes MCC as having "mean particle size of less than 15 microns". This could still allow for smaller particles since:
1) mean size is just the average... even if 5% of the particles are smaller than 0.22um, then there's still some MCC getting thru
2) "less than 15 microns" could mean <0.22 microns even though it doesn't seem so the way it is worded.

So we can assume it is safe, but until someone finds evidence categorically saying the size is no smaller than 0.22 microns we don't know really

I know what you mean.

 

[bit_pattern]

As others have said, if you filter properly, only soluble substances will remain. To do it properly, if filtering tablets or anything containing solids start with a 5 micron then a .8 micron then to .22 micron, if your just filtering normal soluble drugs you can skip the 5 micron and just use the other two. This will ensure you have filtered out even most bacteria. You have to remember though that soluble substances will remain in the solution. This includes things like dyes, glucose, msm etc.. So lets say your filtering a red Eccy, your remaining solution will be free of the chalk, dust, bacteria and other solid shite that was in the eccy, but the solution will still be red as the dye is soluble. If you're filtering speed thats cut with glucose or msm then both the speed and the glucose/msm will remain in solution.

One tip to remove as much krudd as you can is to cool the solution right down to near freezing before filtering as most of the things you want to shoot are highly soluble and will remain in solution but some things that are partially soluble (ie. waxes used as binders in tablets) will come out of solution in cold water so you will be ablke to get them out of your hit by doing this whereas if it was a warm solution the wax may have gotten through.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Good to hear! So if MCC doesn't get through, what is getting through when shooting an oxy with a .22 syringe filter?

Nothing dangerous I don't think. If a .22 filter will get out talc, I think you're going to be safe with whatever else gets in there.

I am not 100% certain though.

 

[bang that shit]

Not sure if this is the best place to ask, iv heard conflicting services... do most needle exchanges sell micron filters/wheel filters

talkin bout the ones in NYC here

 

[Tchort]

It depends on the particular exchange. If they have an e-mail address or phone number or website, you can find out ahead of time. Otherwise, you just have to go and find out. It isn't uncommon to find them at a needle exchange, but it isn't standard.

You can always order them directly off the net.

 

[bang that shit]

It depends on the particular exchange. If they have an e-mail address or phone number or website, you can find out ahead of time. Otherwise, you just have to go and find out. It isn't uncommon to find them at a needle exchange, but it isn't standard.

You can always order them directly off the net.

bahhhh id order them off the internet but im at home another week before i go back to college. so no money on the debit card atm


but fuck i called 8 medical supply stores in the city for filters, half had no idea what I was talking about, 1 asked me to explain what i needed them for with insulin syringed .... im like ummmmmmm..... "trying to inject the safest way possible" he then hung up. and the last few knew what they were but didnt have them. there are afew places i can stil try but they wont be open till monday.


then i hit up the needle exchange numbers...... of the 3 that were open today and picked all said no. there are afew more that are open monday so il try those also

 

[The Reanimator]

Maybe BL could benefit from a FAQ on micron/wheel filters to put in the Drug FAQs forum? If not a FAQ, possibly a Megathread for questions about them, with a FAQ style write up in the first few posts listing info from threads like this one (what inactives are in commonly IV'd pills, what they do when IV'd, which size wheel filters filter out which ingredient, etc) as well as names of companies/brands who make them, where to get them, how to use them, etc.

+10,000
I wanted to IV some Focalin today and my hours of searching led me to think how nice it would be to have a single source, namely, an FAQ or some kind of database on inactive pill ingredients. My knowledge of pill IVing is somewhat deficit, but it seems that filtering down to ~.22 microns is safe in most cases. What I'm worried about, is the harm that may be caused by various soluble inactives. Perhaps this isn't a serious concern, but like I said, I don't know enough to tell. This is where I think an FAQ could really be helpful. Very informative thread, by the way.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

+10,000
I wanted to IV some Focalin today and my hours of searching led me to think how nice it would be to have a single source, namely, an FAQ or some kind of database on inactive pill ingredients. My knowledge of pill IVing is somewhat deficit, but it seems that filtering down to ~.22 microns is safe in most cases. What I'm worried about, is the harm that may be caused by various soluble inactives. Perhaps this isn't a serious concern, but like I said, I don't know enough to tell. This is where I think an FAQ could really be helpful. Very informative thread, by the way.

It would be very useful to compile a database of inactives and their size in microns, solubility in water or propylene glycol, ethanol, etc. That would be a very decent thing. I'd get around to it in my spare time if I could find the stats online, I don't think I would have any other source for finding it out though.

 

[Eagleman]

Talc and MCC, I believe. Plus whatever else is water-soluble.

 

[Flexistentialist]

Thought this might be of use, from a recent edition of the Harm Reduction Journal.

Effect of filtration on morphine and particle content of injections prepared from slow-release oral morphine tablets

Background

Injections of mixtures prepared from crushed tablets contain insoluble particles which can cause embolisms and other complications. Although many particles can be removed by filtration, many injecting drug users do not filter due to availability, cost or performance of filters, and also due to concerns that some of the dose will be lost.

Methods

Injection solutions were prepared from slow-release morphine tablets (MS Contin®) replicating methods used by injecting drug users. Contaminating particles were counted by microscopy and morphine content analysed by liquid chromatography before and after filtration.

Results

Unfiltered tablet extracts contained tens of millions of particles with a range in sizes from < 5 μm to > 400 μm. Cigarette filters removed most of the larger particles (> 50 μm) but the smaller particles remained. Commercial syringe filters (0.45 and 0.22 μm) produced a dramatic reduction in particles but tended to block unless used after a cigarette filter. Morphine was retained by all filters but could be recovered by following the filtration with one or two 1 ml washes. The combined use of a cigarette filter then 0.22 μm filter, with rinses, enabled recovery of 90% of the extracted morphine in a solution which was essentially free of tablet-derived particles.

Conclusions

Apart from overdose and addiction itself, the harmful consequences of injecting morphine tablets come from the insoluble particles from the tablets and microbial contamination. These harmful components can be substantially reduced by passing the injection through a sterilizing (0.22 μm) filter. To prevent the filter from blocking, a preliminary coarse filter (such as a cigarette filter) should be used first. The filters retain some of the dose, but this can be recovered by following filtration with one or two rinses with 1 ml water. Although filtration can reduce the non-pharmacological harmful consequences of injecting tablets, this remains an unsafe practice due to skin and environmental contamination by particles and microorganisms, and the risks of blood-borne infections from sharing injecting equipment.

 

[HdoubleODeezy]

good to know.. but i wouldn't use a cigarette filter.. id use cotton then my .22 micron filters.. if i even had any morphine to do it with i mean 8)