MWCO
Definition
Molecular weight cut-off, the nominal size above which the membrane retains solutes. Forensic dialysis tubing typically uses 12 to 14 kDa MWCO, which retains albumin (66 kDa) and lipoproteins while letting drugs and metal ions pass.
Related terms
- Conway Microdiffusion Cell
- A two-compartment glass or ceramic dish with a central well and an outer ring, sealed at the rim. The poison is released...
- Dialysis
- Separation of small molecules from large ones across a semipermeable cellulose membrane. In forensic toxicology, used for clean-up of blood and plasma...
- Equilibrium Dialysis
- Variant in which the drug is allowed to redistribute across the membrane until the unbound concentration on both sides is equal. The...
- Simple Distillation
- Heating an aqueous sample in a round-bottom flask and collecting the condensed vapour. Used for volatiles that boil below 100 degrees C...
- Steam Distillation
- Passing live steam through a sample so that volatile organic compounds co-distil with water at a temperature below their own boiling point....
Explained in
- Distillation, Microdiffusion and Dialysis TechniquesMolecular weight cut-off, the nominal size above which the membrane retains solutes. Forensic dialysis tubing typically uses 12 to 14 kDa MWCO, which retains a...