Chemical Compatibility Checklist: Which Tubing Is Right for Me?
When people dig into chemical compatibility of tubing for biopharmaceutical manufacturing, they tend to ask a pretty consistent set of questions. They usually fall into a few big buckets: safety, performance, longevity, and compliance. Here are the top ones you’ll hear (and why they matter). If you need help determining the best option for your application, feel free to email sales@biopharmworld.com or call (800) 795-6436. We’re here to help!
Chemical Interaction & Material Safety
- Will this tubing leach extractables or leachables into my product?
(Often the biggest concern for drug product contact.) - What chemicals is this tubing compatible with—and at what concentrations?
Acids, bases, solvents, buffers, CIP/SIP agents, oxidizers, etc. - Does compatibility change with temperature or exposure time?
- Are there known degradation byproducts from chemical exposure?
Biopharma Process Fit
- Is this tubing suitable for drug product contact, or only for utilities?
- Can it handle common biopharma fluids (buffers, media, WFI, cleaning solutions)?
- How does it perform in single-use vs. reusable systems?
- Does it adsorb proteins, APIs, or biologics?
Sterilization & Cleaning Compatibility
- Is the tubing compatible with SIP, autoclaving, gamma, X-ray, or EtO sterilization?
- Does chemical compatibility change after repeated sterilization cycles?
- Can it withstand aggressive CIP chemicals (NaOH, acids, peracetic acid)?
Durability & Lifetime
- How long can the tubing be exposed to a given chemical before failure?
- What failure modes should I expect?
(Swelling, cracking, embrittlement, discoloration, loss of tensile strength.) - How does flex life change after chemical exposure?
Regulatory & Quality Questions
- Is the material USP <87>/<88> compliant?
- Is there extractables/leachables data available?
- Does it meet FDA, EMA, and BPOG expectations?
- Is the tubing animal-derived component free (ADCF)?
- Is there a DMF or regulatory support package?
Data & Documentation
- Is compatibility data based on testing or theoretical chemical resistance?
- What test conditions were used (time, temp, concentration)?
- Are real-world use cases or application notes available?
Practical & Operational Considerations
- How does tubing compatibility compare between materials (silicone vs. TPE vs. PTFE vs. FEP)?
- What’s the safety margin for my process conditions?
- What tubing do others use for similar applications?
- What happens if compatibility limits are exceeded—gradual degradation or sudden failure?
“Experienced user” questions (the ones that come later)
- How conservative are vendor compatibility charts really?
- Where are the known gray areas or edge cases?
- What should I test myself instead of relying on published data?
