Ceramic micro- and ultrafiltration membranes suitable for use in bioprocesses can now be made from a wide range of inorganic materials. This article describes the membrane properties attributable to manufacturing procedure. The studies concerning the filtration of bacterial cells by ceramic membranes are also reviewed. Since ceramic membranes have a potential to vary the properties such as pore size, membrane resistance, zeta potential and surface free energy, the examinations to clarify the relationship between membrane properties and filtration characteristics were carried out. And concept for the designing of membranes using filtration of methanogenic cells was proposed. To apply the ceramic membranes for bioprocesses widely, the investigations to establish the concept for the optimum designing of membranes, and also to estimate the influence of shear induced by filtration operations on lysis of cells will be needed.
