6 Most Important Equipment Which Every Laboratory Must Have
A laboratory’s most important component is its equipment. Every laboratory will have a diverse range of equipment. Balances and scales, autoclaves, ovens, furnaces, water baths, histology equipment, incubators, centrifuges, hot plates, refrigerators, temperature controllers, and a variety of other equipment are among them.
The equipment usually aids in the reduction of manual errors and offers the most accurate results possible for any study or medical test you do on it.
Proper laboratory equipment is always required to handle toxic materials and reduce human effort.
6 Laboratory Equipment Which Every Laboratory Should Have
Periodic inspections in the laboratory are required to keep an eye on how people operate the equipment, ensure that it is in correct working order, and spot any problems that may exist.
Here are the names of the six laboratory equipment lists which every laboratory must have are:
1. Balances And Scales:
The most important pieces of equipment are balances and scales. Balances are used to weigh samples or precisely quantify an object’s mass. During an experiment, a fluctuating amount of sample or substance usually results in erroneous results, so measuring the quantities is critical.
However, because most of our samples are in micrograms, analytical balances come to the rescue. Balances and scales are commonly used to aid in accuracy, precision, taring, and calibration.
Laboratory balances and scales include equal arm balances, analytical balances, spring balances, top-loading balances, and platform scales.
2. Autoclaves:
In most cases, autoclaves are used to sterilize glassware, instruments, sample solutions, or nutrient media. This type of sterilization is known as moist heat sterilization. This is because the irreversible coagulation and denaturation of enzymes and structural proteins in bacteria, fungus, spores, and viruses get killed when exposed to moist heat.
This entire process can take anything from 15 to 60 minutes. Autoclaves are primarily used to disinfect microbiological waste in the healthcare industry. In addition, autoclaves are used to sterilize media that contain water and cannot be sterilized using dry heat.
In most healthcare laboratories, culture medium, glassware, surgical equipment, plastic tubes and pipette tips, solutions and water, and biohazardous waste are all autoclaved frequently.
The autoclaves or any other laboratory equipment are usually very expensive. Hence, it is important to have a trustworthy equipment supplier. You may check labec for many such pieces of equipment and also spare parts in case you can’t afford to buy the whole equipment.
3. Freezers And Refrigerators:
The basic purpose of a laboratory freezer and refrigerator is to keep the temperature in the refrigerator cool to slow down the activity or growth of bacteria. As a result, freezers and refrigerators are employed to keep the samples sterile.
Blood samples collected from blood tests and other biological samples such as vaccines, medicinal and pharmaceutical products, blood plasma, and volatile sample solutions are preserved in freezers and refrigerators during the study. In most cases, samples in refrigerators are kept at 5-15 degrees Celsius, whereas samples in freezers are kept at 25-15 degrees Celsius.
4. Water Distillers:
Water distillers are generally used to purify the water by simply removing 99.9% of contaminants from the water. These contaminants include chemicals, heavy metals, microorganisms, and sediments.
It uses a simple distillation process in which the impure water is first heated, killing all microorganisms and organic matter; the water is then condensed and collected in a separate container.
In the laboratory, we mostly use distilled water to perform experiments and tests because it is inert in nature, which means it contains only hydrogen and oxygen. Therefore, most of the standard solutions are made of distilled water as it does not affect the result.
5. Temperature Controllers:
Temperature controllers are devices that calculate the difference between a setpoint and measured temperature to control temperature. The output of these controllers is connected to a control device such as a heater or fan, while the input is taken from a temperature sensor.
Every test in the laboratory generates heat, so it is critical to keep track of and control it for better results. These controllers aid in regulating heat emitted, extending the equipment life, and lowering intake energy. You can also include different types of used laboratory equipment in the list.
6. Ovens:
By exposing the materials to a heated environment, laboratory ovens allow pinpointing temperature control and uniform temperature throughout the heating process. In the laboratory, various tests are carried out, many of which necessitate a higher temperature than room temperature.
To achieve this, we use ovens to provide the required temperature by placing the materials in a hollow chamber and providing a heat source to the chamber, allowing the experiment to be carried out with high precision and yield excellent results. In addition, we can cut down on time by using the oven.
Conclusion:
The most crucial component of any research or medical process is laboratory equipment. They have minimized human efforts and errors since the invention of this technology and replaced them with the most accurate data available. As a result, correct handling and selecting the appropriate equipment for your laboratory work are crucial. They are more expensive, but they are well worth it. To acquire reliable findings and save time, keep all of the necessary equipment in your laboratory at all times.
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