What is the Biological Safety Cabinet used for?

 

A Biological Safety Cabinet is a vented container that protects the user, the product, and the environment from potentially dangerous microorganism aerosols. A HEPA filter discharges the continuous airflow to the atmosphere.

What are the different types of laboratory fume hoods?

 

Safety is the first concern in every research lab. The labs are designed to focus on risk mitigation and facilitate safe working conditions. Laboratory fume hoods are an integral component of many commercial, educational, and research lab facilities providing researchers with an optimum environment. When you work with chemicals, it’s important that you invest in certain ventilation systems that put toxic fumes out of the air. Fume hoods protect you while you are working with gases, dust, and vapor. This equipment doesn’t let you get exposed to these adverse elements. There are several types of laboratory fume hoods as listed below:

• Bench-top fume hood: They don’t have a mount or support system. You have to place a bench-top fume hood on an existing work surface. Bench-top fume hoods are indeed a great choice in case you have constraints relating to floor space. One prime benefit of this fume hood is that it can be added to an existing workspace.
• ADA fume hood: ADA compliant laboratory fume hoods ensure that every lab personnel utilize facility fume hoods to the maximum. These fume hoods are designed for easy and safe handling. These fume hoods come with features like constant airflow. Technicians using wheelchairs will feel comfortable working under such a fume hood.

              Why fume hoods are used in the laboratory?

• Double-faced fume hood: It is a perfect choice for demonstrations. A double-face fume hood has entrances on both sides. With this fume hood in place, you can get a 360-degree view. It appears as a typical bench-top or a portable unit. They are a commonplace in classrooms or laboratories where demonstrations are a frequent phenomenon.
• Biosafety cabinet: Labs that handle viral microbes and infectious diseases are referred to as biosafety cabinets. It is an enclosed workspace that prevents researchers from accidental exposure to hazardous chemicals and infectious pathogens.
• Add air fume hood: Deviating from the functioning of conventional fume hoods, add air fume hoods collect unconditioned air from the external surroundings and thereby reduce energy costs while generating a more effective air-in and air-out cycle. Certain add air fume hoods extract 70% of the air from outdoors without relying on air conditioning. It is particularly effective in winter as no temperature regulation is required to cool the warmed air.
• Propylene fume hoods: This fume hood type is made for laboratories that use acidic products for research purposes. Propylene fume hoods ventilate the indoor air and avoid any kind of chemical damage. It comes with a reduced backflow of air that permits a smooth production.

Choosing the right type of fume hood is obviously a tricky affair. You will come across several types of fume hoods on the market, but it’s advisable to choose the one that is best suited to your purpose. You have to consider various factors while selecting a fume hood like the chemicals you are using and the amount of money you are willing to spend.

Are you looking to buy a quality fume hood that will suit for research needs? If you feel so, www.igenels.com has extensive choices for you. Here, you get access to excellent fume hoods of various types at the best market prices.

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Everything You Need to Know About Laminar Air Flow

 

A laminar air flow is equipment that is utilized in microbiology laboratories, and it consists of a chamber with an air blower attached to its rear side. The placement allows the flow of air with a uniform velocity in a straight line.

When do PCR Tests Work Best?

 

Scientists and researchers rely on PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests to detect various infectious diseases and genetic changes. By conducting these tests, scientists can find the DNA or RNA of a pathogen. A PCR test is a preferred option when the root cause of the disease is a virus or bacteria. However, there are certain circumstances when PCR tests work best. It’s the reason why they are conducted in a PCR workstation.

Purpose of PCR tests

The main objectives of conducting PCR tests are listed below:

1. Determine infectious diseases
2. Detect a genetic change that can do harm
3. Identify cancer cells that may be overlooked in other cells
4. Gene mapping

Types of PCR tests

A PCR test can be of various types as listed below:

1. Real-time PCR: Here, a fluorescent reporter is used to detect the DNA amplification in real-time.
2. Multiplex PCR: A multiplex PCR test is implemented for the amplification of several targets.
3. Nested PCR: A nested PCR curbs the non-specific binding of products and enhances sensitivity and specificity.
4. Quantitative PCR: A quantitative PCR test is grounded on the DNA amplification linearity. This PCR test is used to identify and quantify a known sequence in the sample.
5. Arbitrary Primed PCR: This DNA fingerprinting technique is embedded in PCR. It implements primers with the DNA sequence chosen arbitrarily.

How can you set up a PCR test?

Setting up a PCR test is never easy as scientists need to get hold of the following elements:

1. The DNA template that has to be copied
2. DNA nucleotide bases as they are the building blocks of DNA. Researchers and molecular biologists require these bases to develop the new strand of DNA.
3. Primers (short stretches of DNA) that start the PCR reaction
4. Taq polymerase enzyme to build the new DNA bases
5. Make sure the conditions are perfect for the reaction by buffering.

Researchers get all the necessary arrangements in a PCR workstation. For this reason, a PCR test is always carried out at this workspace.

Steps involved in PCR tests

Given below is the list of steps involved in a PCR test:

1. DNA isolation: Being a researcher, no matter whether you are isolating bacterial plasmids or genomic DNA, you can’t bypass this crucial first step. During this phase, certain nucleic acid purification products are picked to give maximum yield, integrity, and purity from any type of sample.
2. Primer design: You have to choose high-quality primers with good designs. The length of the primers will be between 18-30 nucleotides. And yes, always remember to keep the melting temperatures between 65⁰C and 75⁰
3. Enzyme selection: Now, your task is to select the enzyme. In 99.9% of cases, DNA polymerase is used since this compound plays a great hand in synthesizing new strands of DNA.
4. Thermal cycling: A PCR comprises heating and cooling cycles for the purpose of DNA amplification. Hence, choosing the right thermal cycler will determine the success or failure of a PCR reaction.
5. PCR plastics: You need to use the apt PCR plastics for your experiment. If you choose the right plastic, it will enhance the authenticity of your PCR outcomes. Besides this aspect, the perfect fit and uniform heat transfer during the thermal cycling process are critical to productive PCR.
6. Amplicon analysis: Molecular biologists implement the nucleic acid electrophoresis techniques to detect, differentiate, quantify, and purify amplicons. However, they have to select the right instruments for this technique to give accurate results.

Wrapping up

Conducting a PCR test is an accurate method for detecting multiple infectious diseases. With this test, researchers and pathologists can make diagnoses before symptoms occur. More often, forensic researchers also rely on the results of a PCR test to identify a criminal, as this test helps in evaluating the gene expression.

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Laboratory Fume Hood: Everything You Need to Know

A laboratory fume hoods is a local ventilation device whose main purpose is to limit exposure to toxic fumes like dust or vapors. In this ventilated enclosure, vapors, gases, and fumes are trapped and eliminated from the work area.

Types of fume hoods

Fume hoods come in two basic types as listed below:

1. Constant volume: In this type, the quantity of air pulled or the exhaust flow rate is constant. When you lower the sash, the hood opening area decreases, and the airflow velocity increases proportionally. Hence, you can increase the velocity of air by lowering the sash.
2. Variable air volume: This is where the exhaust flow rate varies when the sash is raised or lowered to maintain an even face velocity. So, when the sash is lowered, the hood’s cross-sectional area decreases with the airflow velocity remaining constant and minimizing the total air volume exhausted.

Size of fume hoods

Laboratory fume hoods are available in different sizes: 1000mm, 1200mm, 1500mm, 1800mm, and 2000mm. The depth ranges between 1900mm and 2700mm.

What are fume hoods made of?

Fume hoods are made of the following linear materials:

1. Phenolic resin
2. Epoxy resin
3. Fiber-reinforced plastic
4. Cement board
5. Square-corner stainless steel
6. Covered-corner stainless steel
7. Polypropylene

Functions of the control panel in fume hoods

Most fume hoods are embedded in a mains-powered control panel. They perform the following functions:

1. Notify when the airflow is low
2. Warn when there is a large opening at the front of the unit
3. Giving permission to switch the exhaust fan on or off
4. Giving consent to turn the internal light on or off.

Functioning of fume hoods

Generally, a fume hood is equipped with an interior baffle and a movable front sash. It is on the design to determine which direction the sash will move. The sash may move horizontally, vertically, or a blending of the two. The sash gives protection to the user by serving as a barrier between the experiment and the worker.

The hood has slots and baffles that direct the air. In many hoods, you get the provision to adjust these slots and baffles from getting blocked. Mostly, the blockage is caused by excessive material storage. If there is a blockage, the exhaust path within the hood gets affected and thereby lessening the efficiency of hood capture.

Use of fume hoods

The purpose of using fume hoods is very clear. Besides protecting the user from inhaling toxic gases, it also protects the item or experiment. Moreover, it is a sustainable approach as fume hoods protect the environment. The non-core functions of fume hoods include spill containment and explosion protection.

How are fume hoods installed?

Generally, fume hoods are installed against the walls and are fitted with infills to combat the exhaust ductwork. Due to their recessed shape, they are poorly illuminated by general lighting. So, many fume hoods comprise internal lights with vapor-proof covers. The front side of the fume hood is a sash window, mostly made of glass that can move up and down on a counterbalance mechanism.

Fume hoods are extensively used in the laboratory as a primary method of exposure control. Researchers should use fume hoods while operating with toxic compounds with a boiling point below 120^oC. This laboratory equipment is of great help to scientists and researchers as it prevents them from getting exposed to harmful substances or chemicals.

Are you willing to buy a high-quality laboratory fume hoods at pocket-friendly rates? If you feel so, the products at www.igenels.com can be the best bet for you. In this platform, you get access to top-notch laboratory instruments that will cater to your scientific needs.