Biological Safety Cabinets- All You Need To Know

In biological laboratories, workers may need to handle infectious materials like germs or viruses and other harmful objects and chemicals. These things must be stored separately to ensure safe environments in the laboratory. This article discusses the biological safety cabinets and their types.

Biological safety cabinets are common in life science and biology labs. These specially designed storages are used to contain infectious chemical or bacteria or viruses and hazardous materials. These cabinets protect the workers from any accidental harm and also contain the products safely.  Biological safety cabinets or BSC come with extra protection and maintain sterility of products.

The biological safety cabinets are specially designed so they do not harm any worker. The air coming from these storages are filtered through a HEPA filter to ensure the air is safe and filtered properly. Therefore, workers remain safe.

 The different types of  cabinets

There are mainly three types of biological safety cabinets-

1. Class 1- The class 1 biological safety cabinet is an open front cabinet with negative pressure. The air of the cabinet is filtered by a high power HEPA filter. These cabinets are used for protecting the lab personally. But they do not offer protection to the stored products.

2.  Class 2- the class 2 biological cabinet is an open-front,  vertical, laminar-flow ventilated cabinet, This cabinet also has a HEPA filter to filter the airflow within the cabinet and the workspace. Therefore, it provides round-the0-clock protection for the stored products and the people working inside the lab.

Class 2 cabinets are widely used in microbiological laboratories. This is because these cabinets are ideal to store the materials which can be affected by airborne contaminations. There are four types of class 2 cabinets-

Type A- these cabinets do not require separate ventilation, Hence, it is ideal for the labs where moderately dangerous chemicals and substances.

Type B1- Types B1 cabinets require additional ventilation. These BSC use 70/% air to circulate the airflow inside it and exhausts 30% air outside after filtration.

Type B2- These cabinets are properly exhausted and 100% air is vented outside through filtration. This is ideal for toxic chemicals.

Type B3- This BSC uses only 30% of air for recirculation ad exhausts 70% air outside through the filter.

3.

Class 3- Class 3 cabinets are among the most advanced biological safety cabinets. These cabinets are totally enclosed and have gas-tight ventilation. It is used for hazardous products. Hence, things should be touched by wearing a pair of rubber gloves. The gloves are attached to the cabinet for convenience. These cabinets are maintained by the negative air pressure of a minimum of 0.5 inches water gauge. Additionally, the air comes out after going through a HEPA filter. These cabinets are usually placed separately.

Global lab supply is a well-known supplier of clinical machines and cabinets including Biological safety cabinets. You can contact them to get the ideal cabinet for your lab.

Author Bio -:Global Lab Supply is an expert in the field of Lab Equipment & Analytical Instruments. Get any type of  Biological safety cabinets and more information about The  Biosafety cabinet visit Globallabsupply.com.

Original Source:   http://www.loopdesk.com/article/46842/biological-safety-cabinets-all-you-need-to-know