A biological safety cabinet is used to protect the researchers and lab technicians from biohazardous or infectious agents. Besides serving this function, it also maintains the quality of the material being worked by filtering the inflow and exhaust air. Hence, it is also referred to as a laminar flow.
Types of biological safety cabinets
Biological safety cabinets are divided into three classes- class 1, 2, and 3. Class 1 safety cabinet is the most basic one and provides personnel and environmental protection. On the other hand, class 2 and class 3 biosafety cabinet provide personnel, environmental, and product protection.
How do they function?
A biosafety cabinet offers maximum protection to the user, product, and the environment from aerosols that arise while handling potentially hazardous micro-organisms. The three states of protection offered by this equipment are listed below:
- Personnel protection (from injurious agents within the cabinet) — HEPA filters and air curtain protect users from hazardous aerosols produced inside the chamber.
- Product protection (to combat contamination of the samples) — Unidirectional and recirculating HEPA filtered air protect the samples from contamination.
- Lab/Environmental protection (from contaminants present within the cabinet) —HEPA filtered exhaust protects the environment of the lab from contamination by biohazardous aerosols generated within the chamber.
Generally, a biosafety cabinet implements HEPA filters and a curtain of air to enforce a sterile environment.
Uses of biological safety cabinets
You can use biosafety cabinets with any biological agent including viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, human/animal tissue, and prions. However, they mustn’t be used with:
- Huge amounts of toxic chemicals
- Volatile radionuclides
- Concentrated flammable chemicals
- Open flames
As you can understand, a biological safety cabinet is an engineering control technique aimed to protect the lab workers, work materials, and lab environment from exposure to biohazardous splashes and aerosols. In most instances, these aerosols and splashes are produced while modifying materials comprising infectious agents like diagnostic specimens, stocks, and primary cultures.
More About Biosafety Cabinet :-
What is the Biological Safety Cabinet used for?
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