Harm Reduction Trouble with filtering

[romealone]

Hey guys
I'm having trouble filtering my pills for IV and was looking for some help.
Now I micron all my pills, but my problem is with the initial filtration thru cotton, before I run the resulting filtrate thru the micron filter.

The problem is that when I backload the solution into a syringe with cotton stuffed in, it always clogs or gets tuck and I'm left with a syringe full of goopy pill/water mixture that I can't press out of the syringe.

Here's what I do. I mix about 10 oxymorphone instant release pills with 10 ml Bacteriostatic water in a 10ml syringe and shake it until it all dissolves. I then push about half a cotton ball into a fresh 10ml syringe and then backload the pill solution into the the syringe with the cotton filter. The problem is that when I try to push the solution thru the filter, it clogs or gets stuck after only filtering 2-3 ml for some reason. I can't figure out why it clogs so quickly. Am I using too much cotton (about half a cotton ball) or too little?

Can anyone give me a better method. I can't keep losing so much of my solution prior to micron filtering. Thanks.

 

[Swimmingdancer]

Maybe try less cotton. You could also send it through a rougher first filtration before that. You could also try pushing it through very gently/slowly and sort of shaking it up a little as you go to try to prevent clogging/dislodge the binders/fillers that clog the cotton.

 

[romealone]

Maybe try less cotton. You could also send it through a rougher first filtration before that. You could also try pushing it through very gently/slowly and sort of shaking it up a little as you go to try to prevent clogging/dislodge the binders/fillers that clog the cotton.

Thanks for the advice. What sort of rougher first filtration do you have in mind?

 

[Swimmingdancer]

Thanks for the advice. What sort of rougher first filtration do you have in mind?

Well this is a good question. I am actually now thinking a better and easier idea might be just to try to make your current method work, like try:
- using less cotton
- pushing it through more slowly
- try doing fewer pills at a time and/or use more water (some pills just require a lot of water in order to not clog the cotton)
- make sure your pills are as finely crushed as possible and maybe let it spend more time in the water before filtering?

Otherwise other prefiltering ideas include:
- putting the solution is some kind of (sterile) container, placing a small piece of cotton in the solution, and drawing it up through the cotton with a needleless syringe (this might cause some clogging as well, but you can at least sort of move the cotton around to prevent clogging/unclog it, add more water, or add a new cotton if it gets clogged, and you can add some more water at the end if you're worried significant amounts of drugs may be left in the cotton)
- using a coffee filter (I've never tried this myself)

You might want to check out the Micron Filtering Mega Thread and FAQ to see if this issue is addressed there or make a post there.

 

[Tommyboy]

Otherwise other prefiltering ideas include:
- putting the solution is some kind of (sterile) container, placing a small piece of cotton in the solution, and drawing it up through the cotton with a needleless syringe (this might cause some clogging as well, but you can at least sort of move the cotton around to prevent clogging/unclog it, add more water, or add a new cotton if it gets clogged, and you can add some more water at the end if you're worried significant amounts of drugs may be left in the cotton)
- using a coffee filter (I've never tried this myself)

You might want to check out the Micron Filtering Mega Thread and FAQ to see if this issue is addressed there or make a post there.

They can also try putting a moist cotton into the syringe and pushing it all the way down, and then drawing up the solution through that, and then pushing it back through once it has all been drawn up. Then they can micron filter it like usual.

It's hard to get all the solution up when you don't have a cotton in it though, so you may need a tiny piece of cotton to ensure that you can draw up the whole solution.

 

[tentram]

You could also send it through a rougher first filtration before that.

seems as though they need to take it a step further with finer filtration.

after an initial filtration of mscontins using 2 full filters and 5mL of solution, i've always found a second passing using a 1/2 rolling tobacco filter, pre-wet, fine before passing through a micron. i've always used as much pressure as possible against the filter (obviously using a luer lock syringe) for less probability of larger particles getting through.

it only takes a 20-30 units of water to get whatever (little) amount of drug that is left in the filter if you weren't crude/lazy at any stage.

 

[Swimmingdancer]

seems as though they need to take it a step further with finer filtration.

They are talking about it clogging when they try to prefilter it with cotton in a syringe though, not the micron filter clogging. *I assumed they were doing this as a separate step and not doing it with a micron attached - maybe some clarification from the OP would help.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

You don't have to stuff cotton into a syringe, this is likely what is causing it to become clogged.

I would try using a luer lock needle tip (large gauge) by pushing it into a smaller amount of cotton (not compacted) to draw up the liquid. You could then try pushing it through just a tiny layer of cotton that you've compacted into the end of a syringe, that could work.

You can also have the solution settle, and draw the liquid off the top, doing your best to avoid the sediment that will collect at the bottom.