Case study
More Sustainable Single-Use Bioprocessing with Makrolon® RE
Discover how Sartorius reduced the carbon footprint of its Ambr® single-use bioreactor vessels by up to 57%¹ CO₂ equivalents – enabled through Makrolon® RE, the renewable-attributed polycarbonate from Covestro, while maintaining the same performance and cell culture compatibility.
Sartorius, a leading partner of the biopharmaceutical industry set out to improve the environmental profile of its Ambr® 15 and Ambr® 250 HT multi-parallel bioreactor vessels – widely used tools for high-throughput cell culture process development in biotechnology and pharmaceutical research. The transparent polycarbonate housing of these single-use vessels needed to maintain full performance: optical clarity for visual process monitoring, resistance to irradiation sterilization, dimensional precision, and a stringent leachable and extractables profile, compatible with sensitive cell cultures. The goal was to find a more sustainable material solution without compromising any of these requirements.
The challenge was to replace fossil-based polycarbonate with a more sustainable alternative in a life science application where biological compatibility is non-negotiable. Cell cultures used in biopharmaceutical development are extremely sensitive to leachable and extractables – any material change requires rigorous re-qualification. At the same time, Sartorius's sustainability targets demanded a meaningful, verifiable reduction in carbon footprint. The solution had to be a true drop-in replacement: identical processing, identical performance, credible sustainability credentials.
Covestro proactively introduced Makrolon® RE to Sartorius - its ISCC PLUS certified renewable-attributed polycarbonate. Makrolon® RE is part of Covestro’s CQ portfolio – where CQ stands for circular intelligence – and draws on the performance foundation of the Makrolon® portfolio, long trusted in healthcare and life science applications for its optical clarity, biocompatibility¹, and sterilization resistance. Renewable feedstocks derived from biological waste and residues replace fossil raw materials at the beginning of the production chain, with the renewable-attributed share allocated to specific product volumes via the mass balance approach – delivering a material with significantly reduced carbon footprint that is fully equivalent to the conventional Makrolon® and integrates seamlessly into existing production processes.² As an early adopter with clear sustainability ambitions, Sartorius could directly switch to the lower carbon footprint version and rely on known, identical material and processing properties as well as systematic traceability of renewable raw material attribution through Covestro’s ISCC PLUS certification.
According to calculations by Sartorius, using electricity from renewable sources and switching to Makrolon® RE, allowed for a reduction of up to 57% in CO₂³ eq. in their commercial Ambr® vessels. ISCC PLUS certified bio-circular materials now account for 83% of Ambr® 15 and 49% of Ambr® 250 HT vessel weight as described in the product sustainability fact sheet.⁴
The collaboration between Sartorius and Covestro does not stop here: both companies are jointly exploring the mechanical recycling of used Ambr® vessels as the next step towards a more circular product lifecycle. A recycling pilot has already been successfully conducted⁵, paving the way for further development.
According to calculations by Sartorius, using electricity from renewable sources and switching to Makrolon® RE, allowed for a reduction of up to 57% in CO₂³ eq. in their commercial Ambr® vessels. ISCC PLUS certified bio-circular materials now account for 83% of Ambr® 15 and 49% of Ambr® 250 HT vessel weight as described in the product sustainability fact sheet.⁴
The collaboration between Sartorius and Covestro does not stop here: both companies are jointly exploring the mechanical recycling of used Ambr® vessels as the next step towards a more circular product lifecycle. A recycling pilot has already been successfully conducted⁵, paving the way for further development.
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Key benefits
- Up to 57% CO₂³ eq. reduction Achieved through use of energy from renewable sources and switch to Makrolon® RE in the production of Ambr® single-use vessels.
- ISCC PLUS certified bio-attributed PC: 83% (Ambr® 15) and 49% (Ambr® 250 HT) of vessel weight.
- True drop-in replacement: No process changes; verified material profile with known lot-to-lot consistency.
- Already on the market: Ambr® 15 and Ambr® 250 HT commercially available.
- Proven material platform: Built on the trusted Makrolon® portfolio, widely established in life science applications.
¹ Biocompatibility: ISO 10993-1 and USP Class VI for contact of 30 days or less
² RE Series for a More Circular and Sustainable Future | Covestro
³ Cradle-to-gate approach, including packaging and biogenic CO₂ reduction, as calculated by Sartorius
⁴ Ambr® sustainability fact sheet: Ambr250 HT / HT Perfusion Consumables brochure
⁵ Journal of Cleaner Production, Volume 471, 2024, 143436, ISSN 0959-6526, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.143436
² RE Series for a More Circular and Sustainable Future | Covestro
³ Cradle-to-gate approach, including packaging and biogenic CO₂ reduction, as calculated by Sartorius
⁴ Ambr® sustainability fact sheet: Ambr250 HT / HT Perfusion Consumables brochure
⁵ Journal of Cleaner Production, Volume 471, 2024, 143436, ISSN 0959-6526, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.143436
