![]() ![]() Start by cleaning the back wall of your laminar flow hood.Vertical Laminar Flow Hood Cleaning Steps Laboratory gowns or coats should be worn.70% ethanol (Most effective in killing microbes).Laminar flow hood cleaning should be conducted regularly and by all lab personnel.įollowing these easy to follow steps will ensure your unit stays sterile. If cleaning procedures are not followed, contamination may render your results useless. Proper cleaning and maintenance will result in accurate results. NB: UV lights will lead to develop fine cracks in some clear plastic panels such as perspex or Plexiglas after six months to a year.Cleanliness and air filtration are extremely important in maintaining sterility levels in a cleanroom or laboratory, this is also true for a laminar airflow hood. ALWAYS wipe down exposed surfaces with a proper decontamination AFTER turning off the UV lamp. ALWAYS wipe down exposed surfaces with a proper decontaminant PRIOR to turning on the UV lamp. In conclusion do not rely on UV lamps alone to keep your work area clean. ![]() However, for those folks populating the lab or standing outside of the enclosure with nothing between them and the blue tube of light, this is a good thing. This is bad if you are using a germicidal lamp as the primary decontaminant in your lab’s culture enclosure. This simply means that for UV lamps to be effective, the target MUST be in direct line of sight with the light source. Anyway germicidal lamps use low energy radiation-so low that the waves are incapable of penetrating barriers or of reflecting from most surfaces. Under prolonged exposure, these chemical changes lead to dysfunctional genetic material and eventual cell death. ![]() UVC radiation is efficient at breaking up chemical bonds and denaturing DNA and RNA. Germicidal lamps utilize UVC radiation (typically at 254 nm wavelength). UV light can be used to sterilize the air and EXPOSED work surfaces in laminar flow hood between uses (see here for some examples) Once a week the area below the work surface in the hood should be cleaned with 70% etoh, followed by a surface disinfectant such as virkon UV light Furthermore the probability of brushing up the tip of a sterile pipette against a non sterile surface will increase.īetween procedures, remove everything that is not required anymore, and swab the surface with 70% ethanol.Īny spillage should be mopped up immediately when they occur. Al the items should be cleaned with 70% ethanol before entering the hood (and at the end of the work).ĭo not overcrowd the hood area: overcrowding of the hood leads to eddies and changes the air flow making the hood ineffective. One hood is sufficient for two to three people working one at a time (I’ve seen even three guys trying to work contemporaneously into the same hood, but this has been the worst case!).Īt the beginning of the work session, the surfaces inside the hood should be swabbed plenty with 70% ethanol.īring inside the hood only those items you require for the procedure you are doing. Try to put the hood in a quiet area of the laboratory: many persons talking and passing by the hood could alter the laminar flow and increase the probabilty of contamination. HEPA filters replacement should be done by a professional engineer too. This should be done by a professional technician. Once a year the HEPA filter above the work surface should be monitored for airflow and holes. The check of the flow rate should be done every 3 to 6 months. The airflow could be measured directly and cheaply by an anemometer (an economic anemometer is enough to check the airflow see i.e. The stability of the laminar flow and therefore the sterility of the hood is compromised if the flow is below 0,4 m/s. Vertical laminar flow hoods maintain sterility by blowing air from the top of the hood onto the work surface, therefore their efficiency depends upon air flow rate and the drop of pressure across the filter. Once you have chosen the proper safety cabinet, you cuold start working, keeping always in mind several tips useful to improve the quality and the safety (for you and your cells) of your work. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |