Water for injection and other water

Bioprocessing water

Cell culture grows animal or plant cells in a lab or biomanufacturing facility. To obtain optimal results in bioprocessing, cells are cultivated in a suitable cell growth medium inside a bioreactor system that controls temperatures, provides a steady oxygen supply, and efficiently removes carbon dioxide. Powdered cell culture media, feeds, and buffers need to be hydrated before use with high-quality water that will not promote microbial growth. A common type of water used in bioprocessing is water for injection (WFI) quality water.

Cell culture grows animal or plant cells in a lab or biomanufacturing facility. To obtain optimal results in bioprocessing, cells are cultivated in a good cell growth medium inside a bioreactor system that controls temperatures, provides a steady oxygen supply and efficient carbon dioxide removal. Powdered cell culture media, feeds, and buffers, need to be hydrated before use with sterile water. A common type of sterile water used in bioprocessing is water for injection (WFI) quality water.

Water for injection (WFI) FAQs

Below are answers to some frequently asked questions regarding water for injection.

What is water for injection?

WFI is water that has extra high quality and lacks significant contaminants. Cytiva’s WFI is filtered through a 0.1 µm filter. WFI labeled specifically for parenteral use (which is not the kind Cytiva provides) is used to make injectable solutions. WFI in bulk packaging is used in biomanufacturing processes. When it’s supplied in single-use containers of the appropriate size, the biocontainers can be connected aseptically to other single-use components in the process to minimize the risk of contamination.

How is it used in research and bioprocessing?

Used as a diluent vehicle, water for injection is a key ingredient for the reconstitution of pharmaceutical and cell culture formulations. WFI water can also be used to clean dirt and blood from wounds or cuts.

Cytiva’s WFI water is sold in bottles or single-use bags and is suitable for manufacturing and research work only. This WFI is not suitable for diagnostic, therapeutic, or parenteral use.

Applications for our WFI quality water include:

• Hydration of cell culture media, salt solutions, and supplements
• Rinsing of primary packaging, production vessels, equipment, and room surfaces
• Reconstruction and rehydration of product during synthesis
• Preparation of buffers for purification by chromatography

How is it used in cell culture?

Water for injection (WFI) is used to prepare powdered media and feeds for cell culture applications. So, it’s an ingredient in rehydrating these components prior to use. With < 0.25 EU/mL endotoxins, our range of WFI products focuses on research and manufacturing processes to ensure consistent results.

How is it prepared?

Cytiva’s WFI water is purified by reverse osmosis/distillation and meets requirements as per USP <71>.

Water for specialized uses

Cytiva also offers water for specific uses when water for injection WFI quality is not needed. Our cell culture grade water meets < 0.005 EU/mL endotoxin by turbidimetric assay. Our molecular biology grade water is suitable for critical applications involving nucleotides such as RNA and DNA, with no detectable activity in DNase, RNase, and protease assays. It’s prepared without diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEPC) treatment.