Quantifying Spallation in Peristaltic Pump Tubing for IVD Systems

Peristaltic pumps are essential to fluid handling in modern in vitro diagnostic (IVD) analyzers. They transport reagents, wash solutions, and samples without exposing fluids to wetted pump components preserving purity and reducing contamination risk.

Historically, tubing selection has focused on durability, chemical resistance, gas permeability, and flow stability. But as assays grow more sensitive and fluidic designs incorporate finer filtration and tighter orifices, particulate control from spallation has emerged as a critical performance factor.

This white paper investigates spallation in peristaltic pump tubing using ISO 19727:2017 as the benchmark for particle generation testing. Leveraging the Watson Marlow® 400A series pump head (flow range: 1 µL/min to 30 mL/min), we examine:

• Comparative performance of Saint-Gobain PharmaPure® and PharMed® BPT tubing versus leading competitive materials

• Why IVD-specific spallation testing should be part of tubing specifications

• How to integrate spallation metrics into design controls, risk management, and service economics

Spallation should be treated as a core specification criterion—on par with lifetime, chemical resistance, permeability, and flow stability. Download the white paper to learn how Saint-Gobain Medical can help you select tubing that minimizes particle generation and maximizes long-term pump performance in IVD applications.

^{Milli-Q® is a trademark of Millipore Sigma (Merck KGaA). Watson-Marlow® is a registered trademark of Watson-Marlow Limited.}