Viral inactivation method using near critical, supercritical or critical fluids

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention will be described in detail as a method and apparatus for inactivating one or more virions associated with a material.
The inactivation of one or more virions is reflected in a reduction in the viral load associated with the material.
The methods and apparatus of the present invention feature SCoCoNC fluids.
FIG.
1 illustrates graphically a pure component compound at different pressures and temperatures.
SCoCoNC fluids are gases at ambient temperature and pressure.
As a function of pressure and temperature, these gases take on special intrinsic properties.
As an intrinsic thermodynamic property, these gases become dense phase fluids at a particular pressure and temperature.
These dense phase fluids, critical fluids, exhibit liquid-like density and gas-like properties of diffusivity and viscosity.
The near critical region or FIG.
1 defines near critical fluids.
In this region, the fluids exhibit similar solvating properties as the fluid under critical or supercritical conditions.
Preferred fluids are those that are gases at ambient conditions and that have critical temperatures of between 0.
degree.
C.
and 100.
degree.
C.
, most preferably between 0.
degree.
C.
and 60.
degree.
C.
When working with biological material (e.
g.
proteinaceous material), fluids with critical temperatures of substantially less than 60.
degree.
C.
(e.
g.
40.
degree.
C.
) are preferred so as to further preserve biological activity.
As a practical matter, a temperature of above 0.
degree.
C.
is desired with aqueous systems to avoid freezing the sample.
Preferred fluids includes fluorocarbons such as chlorodifluoromethane, alkanes such as ethylene, propane and ethane, and binary fluids such as nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide.
These fluids can be used with small quantities of polar entrainers or modifiers, known in the art as cosolvents.
Cosolvents include substances such as ethanol, methanol, acetone, and ethylene glycol.
Such cosolvents can effect inter alia the polarity of the critical fluid, thereby enhancing the capacity of the critical fluid to inactivate virus in certain materials