Removal of HBSAg from blood in vitro. I. Effects of washing alone, glycerol addition and removal, and glycerolization, freezing, and washing.

Red blood cells from HBSAg-positive blood were washed in the Fenwal Elutramatic, Haemonetics Processor 15, or the IBM Blood Processor with sodium chloride solutions, or in the Huggins Cytoglomerator with sugar solutions. The Fenwal Elutramatic and IBM Blood Processor were the most efficient washing systems, the Haemonetics Processor 15 was less efficient, and the Huggins Cytoglomerator was the least efficient in removing the HBSAg. Washing to remove the HBSAg from red blood cells containing 40 per cent W/V glycerol in an ionic medium was more efficient than washing HBSAg from liquid-stored red blood cells or red blood cells containing 20 per cent W/V glycerol. The original and modified dilution/agglomeration wash cycles used in the Huggins Cytoglomerator were not able to remove the HBSAg from units of blood that were radioimmune assay (RIA) positive and counterelectrophoresis (CEP) negative. Freezing had no effect on the removal of the HBSAg in vitro, whereas the concentration of 40 per cent W/V glycerol in the red blood cells that were washed did. HBSAg was not found in the amorphous debris remaining in the polycarbonate disposable bowl used in the Haemonetics Processor 15 or in the microaggregates remaining in washed red blood cells.