Filtration and Biological Safety Cabinets

One of several variants of biological safety cabinet
Courtesy Esco

Biological safety cabinets (BSC), of which there are several specific types, are purpose specific safety equipment enabling technicians to work with limited types of biohazards. They provide containment of the hazard while delivering a clean work space that, along with proper technique, minimizes the contamination probability of cell culture work in progress.

Arguably, the heart of the BSC is a set of filters that efficiently trap and hold particles in the recirculating and exhaust air streams. These filters keep airborne pathogens out of the work zone, but contained within the cabinet. Some manufacturers utilize HEPA filters, while others employ the higher efficiency ULPA filters.

HEPA filters are rated and tested in accordance with accepted standards to deliver efficiency levels of 99.97% when challenged with a test aerosol containing 0.3 micron diameter particles. HEPA filters are essentially depth filters, composed of a dense array of microfibers capable of trapping or preventing passage of very small particles. ULPA filters utilize a similar microfiber media that provides a performance level of 99.999% efficiency on particles of 0.1 microns. The higher efficiency and lower contained particle size for ULPA filters is considered and advantage by some.

Biological safety cabinets and their filters, regardless of type, both have very specific standard testing procedures for finished product to assure proper safety performance. Proper handling and installation of the equipment is necessary to avoid even minor invisible damage that could impact equipment performance. In place testing of newly installed or relocated biological safety cabinets is good practice, required in many cases.

Determination of the right type or class of safety cabinet for specific applications is the role of qualified safety specialists. Once the proper type of biological safety cabinet is established for a lab, choosing a specific manufacturer and model that provides the operational features and work space that best suits the user can be facilitated by consulting with a laboratory equipment specialist. The combination of user experience and laboratory process knowledge, with the product application expertise of a specialist, will yield an effective solution.

Class II Biological Safety Cabinet Ergonomic Green Considerations from Atlantic Technology Group, Inc.

Flexible Installation and Dispensing Options for Lab Water Purification Unit

Chorus modular laboratory water purification
unit, shown with dispenser integrated to bottom
Courtesy Elga LabWater

As a laboratory technician, researcher, or operator, purified water of a known and consistent quality is as essential as drinking water. The production and dispensing of purified water is a support task or operation that, while necessary, does not move the lab mission forward in a direct way. Ideally, water of the right quality will be available for dispensing on demand and lab personnel will not need to spend time checking, adjusting, or maintaining the water production and storage apparatus.

The Elga PURELAB® Chorus modular water purification units for laboratory use provide a number of features and options that enable the production and dispensing of Type 1 ultrapure water effectively and ergonomically.

• Several unit variants allow the user to select the combination of water purification technologies that best suit their laboratory needs.
• Dispensing options configure the interface between user and equipment in a manner that best suits the way technicians will dispense purified water.
• On board monitoring of component performance and water quality provide indication of when purification elements require replacement and confirm water quality and the point of delivery.

Below is a datasheet for the PURELAB® Chorus modular water purification units, showing all the available configurations and dispensing options. Share your lab water requirements with application experts, combining your own laboratory experience and knowledge with their product application expertise to develop effective solutions.

PureLab Chorus 1 Modular Lab Water Purification Unit from Atlantic Technology Group, Inc.

Atlantic Technology Group at Chesapeake Bay Chapter ISPE Conference

Tim Holden, of Avant Garde Scientific, speaks with an attendee at the
2017 ISPE Chesapeake Bay Chapter Mid-Atlantic Life Sciences Showcase

Atlantic Technology Group continued its corporate sponsorship of the ISPE Chesapeake Bay Chapter this week at the 2017 Mid-Atlantic Life Sciences Showcase held at the University of Maryland Shady Grove Campus. In addition to the educational portion of the program, there was an evening get together with a keynote speaker and various exhibits of service and equipment vendors. It was a great opportunity for participants in various facets of the industry to come together in a casual environment and share ideas and experiences, and generally have a good time among others within their professional community.

ATG showcased technical aspects of their product offerings from:

• Miele Professional - Specialized washing equipment for glass and plastic ware
• Girton - cGMP washing equipment of standard and custom design
• Elga - Point of  use water purification equipment
• Esco - Biologial safety cabinets, specialty laminar air flow stations and equipment
• BMT USA - cGMP sterilizers and ovens

On hand were David Jenkins, president of ATG, and Tim Holden from Avant Garde Scientific. Avant Garde sells and services the Atlantic Technology Group product offering in Maryland and the metro Washington, DC area.

A great organization, great event, very productive for everyone attending.

Environmental Chambers - Elevated Humidity Applications

Environmental Chamber with stainless steel
construction for elevated humidity applications.
Courtesy Powers Scientific

There are many testing, research, and production applications that require environmental moisture control at elevated levels. Environmental chamber manufacturers provide a broad offering of products, some tailored to very specific test or process requirements, others which will accommodate a wider range of operating conditions.

The challenge of product selection for a particular use can prove challenging for those not familiar with operational aspects of the equipment and systems that comprise an environmental chamber with humidity control. Selections of humidification equipment or cooling system, in particular, can have a real impact on chamber performance and maintenance requirements.

The stated performance for any environmental chamber is based upon a range of ambient conditions surrounding the chamber or its equipment. Every chamber will not necessarily work properly in every setting. It is important to consult with the manufacturer to make sure the intended use and location of the equipment is within its design range. For any unit under consideration for use, its ability to deliver needed performance levels depends, in large part, on the manufacturer's knowledge of how the chamber will be used and where it will be installed.

Generally, equipment manufacturers design environmental chambers to perform at the published design conditions when properly installed in most commercial or institutional buildings. To assure successful operation, a prospective user should consult with the chamber manufacturer's application specialists to verify there is a match between the user expectations and the equipment suitability for the project. Here are some things to consider.

• Define the chamber conditions to be maintained. For humidity control applications, it is important for the manufacturer to know the specific combinations of temperature and humidity setpoints that will be used. For example, 80% RH (relative humidity) at +32°C. This helps the manufacturer to confirm overall chamber performance will meet user needs and verify that any options selected are compatible with the desired operating conditions.
• Establish the range of environmental conditions that exist at the exact installation site - A humidified chamber generally has capacity to add moisture, but not remove it. Confirming the range of temperature and relative humidity conditions that can be present throughout the year helps assure that environmental chamber performance will not be adversely impacted by the surrounding air conditions.
• Know where the heat will go - Cooling systems transfer heat from inside the chamber to outside the chamber. A unit with a cooling system of the self-contained air cooled type will reject all heat removed from the chamber, plus some extra generated by the cooling machinery, to the space surrounding the chamber. While the amount may be small, without an adequate means of removing that heat from the installation area, the temperature surrounding the chamber will rise. This is especially important when contemplating the placement of an environmental chamber within a small room with little ventilation.
• Know what is happening in the chamber - Are you adding heat with an apparatus or piece of equipment placed in the chamber? Are materials being added to the chamber that may be at moisture or temperature conditions that differ from the chamber setpoint? These and other user associated loads can impact chamber performance.

Time invested prior to purchase and installation to match the chamber capability with project environmental requirements will pay dividends for the life of the unit. Share your project requirements with an environmental chamber specialist, combining your own knowledge and experience with their product application expertise to develop an effective solution.

CO2 Incubator Selection Guidance

Laboratory CO2 Incubator
Courtesy Esco

CO2 incubators are a mainstay of laboratory scale cell culture. Most applications call for operation at +37 degrees Celsius, 5.0% CO2 concentration, and 85% to 95% relative humidity.

Selecting the right incubator to provide the cell culture environment calls for consideration of not only the conditions to be achieved for temperature, relative humidity, and CO2, but how those conditions will be maintained. Stability and accuracy are important, and the way in which an incubator achieves the environmental conditions is worth examination when selecting an incubator. Additionally, determining what operational features and capabilities might be beneficial for increasing workplace efficiency or reducing maintenance can help in selecting the incubator that will best serve your needs.

Esco, globally recognized innovator in the design and manufacture of a range of laboratory equipment, has produced a guide for selecting CO2 incubators. It provides knowledge and guidance about chamber construction, sensors, heating, chamber air movement, filtration, decontamination, and more.

The guide is provided below for your use. Share your laboratory equipment requirements and challenges with lab equipment specialists, combining your own process knowledge and experience with their product application expertise to develop effective solutions.

Choosing a Laboratory CO2 Incubator from Atlantic Technology Group, Inc.

Water Quality for Laboratory Applications

Modern laboratory water purification unit
Courtesy Elga

Water is an important part of many tasks accomplished in laboratory settings. Selecting a purification system which will deliver water of the correct quality and needed quantity is necessary for efficient laboratory operation. Surveying and capturing current consumption information, then projecting any future expansion, can serve as an input for determining the purified water production rate and daily volume requirements. Knowing whether the facility will need a large or more modestly sized unit will certainly contribute to a wise use of financial resources when procuring a system. There is, however, more to successful implementation than proper sizing.

The source water at each facility can vary enough to impact the requirements for a properly configured system. Installing a water purification system with components selected, combined, and sized to purify the particular source water at your facility can deliver benefits over the life of the unit by reducing expenditures on consumables and maximizing system up-time.

The start of the process should include a detailed analysis of the source water. As a practical matter, your goal is to remove various constituents of the source water. That task is best accomplished with thorough knowledge of the level and extent of the constituents.

What we commonly refer to as "water", of course, is far from pure by laboratory standards. Elga, a global manufacturer of water purification equipment and systems for laboratory point of use and centralized distribution, developed an illustrative infographic depicting aspects of laboratory grade water. It serves as a useful refresher for the experienced technician and an educational tool for the novice. The infographic is provided below, with all the credit going to Elga for its production.

Efficient and reliable production of lab grade water presents a number of challenges. Share your requirements with lab water experts, combining your own experience and knowledge with their product application expertise to develop an effective solution.

Small Laboratory Sterilizer

Unisteri laboratory scale sterilizer
Courtesy BMT

The sterilizing of instruments, glassware, and other items utilized throughout life science labs or hospitals is, as is well known, an essential operation. Being able to reliably and quickly process items through the sterilization process can boost productivity in the lab.

BMT USA, a global leader in the design and manufacture of sterilization equipment, incorporates a number of features into its Unisteri line of steam sterilizers. The state-of-the-art design includes:

• Large color touchscreen operator interface
• Printer and PC interface
• Semi-automatic swing door
• Small footprint
• Insulated chamber, door, and piping
• Unlimited number of custom programs, with storage memory

There is more to learn, with additional detail provided in the brochure included below. Share your laboratory equipment and sterilizer requirements and challenges with product application experts, combining your own experience and process knowledge with their product application expertise to develop effective solutions.

Laboratory Scale Steam Sterilizer Technical Data from Atlantic Technology Group, Inc.