The pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries pave the way for modern medicine and improving public health. With access to essential gases from the Meritus Gas network, these operations can continue researching, discovering and developing critical products for the population.
Pharmaceutical and biotechnology operations use various gases in production.
Carbon dioxide is used in pharmaceuticals because it’s a supercritical fluid — a substance that can exist in an intermediate state between liquid and gas at high temperatures and low pressures. Pharmaceutical operations will inject supercritical CO2 into extraction vessels where it can dissolve different materials and make specific compounds accessible. Commonly, this extraction process is used on plant material.
Oxygen is a reagent in pharmaceutical synthesis. Operations rely on this gas to increase reaction rates and produce high-quality products. In some cases, oxygen is diluted with nitrogen to reduce the chance of combustion that comes with handling pure oxygen. However, diluted mixtures will reduce a reaction’s efficiency.
In biotechnology applications, oxygen is used for fermentation. Oxygen is pumped into large fermentation tanks to enhance the bioreactor process by feeding aerobic fermentation.
Nitrogen plays a powerful role in the pharmaceutical sector because its versatility gives it a role in many processes. Nitrogen is used in cryogenic storage to keep drugs safe and effective. This gas can also be used for cold transport when moving products from a production facility to consumer locations.
Nitrogen is an inert gas, so it’s valuable for blanketing and purging processes in pharmaceutical production. It can also protect products from oxidation. The gas is often added to packaging to prevent deterioration.
In process equipment, like tanks and pipes, nitrogen is a pressurizing agent that can indicate system leaks. In a similar application, the gas discharges fluids from storage tanks.
Pharmaceutical production relies on gas chromatography for drug discovery. Helium is often used as a carrier gas in these applications, but it can also be a detector gas for electron capture detection.
Dry ice is principally used in the pharmaceutical industry for storage and shipping. Dry ice helps to ensure that the product is transported at a consistent cool temperature.
Meritus Gas Partners is a larger brand that represents gas and welding supply companies throughout the United States. These suppliers are independently operated and maintain the local brands they’ve built since their founding. In joining the Meritus Gas Partners network, these suppliers have access to our enterprise resources and continue to meet customer demands with high-quality products and customer service.
Our partners include:
Many of our partners fill industrial gas orders onsite for quality control and offer flexible delivery solutions for your convenience when meeting your pharmaceutical and biotechnology needs.
Meritus Gas has selected every partner for their commitment to growth and customer satisfaction. Their independent operation enables them to provide a personalized touch to their service that makes them excellent long-term suppliers for your operation. Connect with a partner near you today, or contact Meritus Gas to learn more about us and our partners.