Device and process for removing free hemoglobin from blood

Claim 1

A filter for removing hemoglobin from whole blood or a blood fraction, comprising a shape-sustaining laid textile web having a thickness of 1 to 8 mm and a bulk density of 0.05 to 0.4 g/cm 3 , said web comprising: (a) a plurality of interlocked textile fibers with average deniers between 0.05 and 0.75 and average lengths between 3 mm and 15 mm, said textile fibers being substantially uniformly distributed in said web so as to form a matrix of the textile fibers with spaces between adjacent interstices of interlocked fibers; and (b) a plurality of fibrillated particles of surface-modified polymeric material having a surface area of 5 to 60 square meters per gram substantially disposed within said spaces of the matrix, said fibrillated particles having a plurality of fine fibrils which are interlocked with adjacent textile fibers of said spaces such that the fibrillated particles are not substantially displaceable from said web during filtration of said blood; wherein the weight ratio of the fibrillated particles to the textile fibers is between 1:99 and 40:60; and wherein said surface-modified polymeric material is cellulose acetate covalently linked to a ligand for hemoglobin; and wherein said textile fibers are hemolytically inert and stable to alkaline hydrolysis.