Labplanet Blog

Cleanroom Tape

blogupdate — Mon, 14 May 2012 21:25:56 +0000

Cleanroom Tape is critical for minimizing contamination in a cleanroom environment. It works well on metals, plastics, and other materials. The tape pictured on the left is made from nonvinyl polyolefin film. The properties feature a super-clean, acrylic, pressure-sensitive adhesive. What sets it apart from your standard run of the mill hardware or office supply store tape is it’s characteristics of being Chemical- and moisture-resistant and performs extremely well in a wide range of temperatures. The Superior adhesive bonding characteristics are maintained for a prolonged period. Width Size comes in 1″, White, Blue & Clear.

PCX™ Cleanroom Tape, (pictured on the right) can be used for sealing, labeling, masking, and various other tasks within the cleanroom that requires pressure-sensitive qualities. The properties are Low-density polyethylene. This means, low in halogens and leachable chlorides. The special construction lessens the chance of outgassing and provides excellent chemical resistance and good conformability. To insure that the tape is as safe as possible, it’s packaged in a cleanroom with special processing to ensure low extractable ions, down to parts per billion. I guess it doesn’t get much cleaner than that! Size by width runs between 3/4″ up to 3″ in a variety of colors.

StephenG

Foodborne Illnesses

blogupdate — Fri, 11 May 2012 20:49:33 +0000

The Center for Disease Control or CDC estimates that food borne illneses are responsible for 76 million people per year in the United States becoming sick, 300,000 hospitalized, and 5,000 deaths. Food can be a medium for transmitting disease. Foodborne illnesses normally result from pathogenic bacteria or their toxins being present during processing, handling, or preparation. Food handlers can transmit opportunistic pathogens associated with the human body like Staphylococcus aureus or intestinal bacteria because of unsanitary practices such as failure to wash their hands before preparing or handling food. Botulism food poisoning results from ingesting a toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum when its endospores grow in improperly home canned foods. The endospores occur in the soil and the environment and contaminate the prepared vegetables. Salmonella and Campylobacter are associated with poultry and eggs and can cause illnes if these foods are not properly prepared. Special care must be taken when preparing foods in order to reduce the bacterial counts of pathogenic bacteria.

Sealing Compound

blogupdate — Thu, 03 May 2012 14:53:23 +0000

One of the things that I love about my job, is that I’m always learning about new products and solutions. .

Hopefully, if you have found this blog, it’s not because you’re in the middle of a crisis involving a vacuum leak on a pump. But should that be the case, look no further. Apiezon Sealing Compound has a putty-like consistency, used to fill gaps and joints on the rotary side of a vacuum system. It is designed to form a seal around flat, unground joints. Keep in mind, this is a temporary fix, depending on the application.

An example of use might be sealing glass cylinders to metal plates. It is used for vacuum work where low vapor pressures are not required.

The sealing compound softens between 40-50 C (104-122 F). Maximum temperature usage is 30 C (86 F). The Vapor pressure is 1x1o-4 Torr at 20 C (86 F).

The compound is easy to mold, easy to apply and maybe more important, easy to remove.

For movable joints, Apiezon makes a high temperature and ultra-high temperature grease. Designed for lubricating, though the grease is silicone free. Used in vacuum systems such as desiccators, rotary evaporators, vacuum traps, and ground glass joints.

As always, our knowledgeable Staff would be happy to assist you with finding the right fix and to answer any questions that you may have.

StephenG

NovaClean All Purpose Cleaner

blogupdate — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 23:57:22 +0000

NovaClean, is a floor cleaner manufactured by Micronova, intended for use in a Clean-room environment. This is actually an all-purpose clean-room detergent which can be used on most floors, walls, ceilings and clean-room curtains. The features that sets it apart from most other commercial and industrial cleaners is its Low-ionic concentrated formula, which will not generate a static charge or affect the efficiency of conductive flooring. When used at recommended dilutions, both the sodium and potassium levels are detectable in only parts per billion. NovaClean is Biodegradable. To insure that it retains its properties, NovaClean is filtered, filled, and bagged in a clean-room environment. NovaClean is a concentrate that will yield between 60 – 128 gallons of cleaning solution per gallon container.

Please note that NovaClean is NOT a disinfectant. It was initially formulated for the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries. It’s super fine purity and filtration lends itself to applications for both the Pharmaceutical and Bio-tech industries.

Studies show that if you are currently using DI Water or IPA, adding a small amount will break surface tension and remove more particles. This will assure that you’re not bringing more into the clean-room than you’re taking out.

NovaClean is available in Quart, Gallon and 5 Gallon containers. We encourage you to call our knowledgable staff with any questions that you may have.

StephenG

Streptococci

blogupdate — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 21:11:00 +0000

Bacteria of the genus streptococci differ from staphylococci for two main reasons: they lack the enzyme catalase and they occur in chains rather than in clusters. Catalase degrades hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. The streptococci often times cause mixed infections with staphylococci but they independently can cause diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, endocarditis, pharyngitis, erysipelas, and glomerulonephritis. Streptococci occur naturally in the pharynx and mouth where they are found on the sufraces of teeth, tongue, cheek, throat, and in saliva. The streptococci of the greatest importance to humans are S. pyogenes, S. agalactiae, and S. pneumoniae. Several systems have been used to classify the streptococci. One of the first was proposed by J. H. Brown in 1919 that was based on the ability of these bacteria to cause lysis of red blodd cells when grown on blood agar.

Bunsen Burners

blogupdate — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:38:21 +0000

Back in February, I did a blog on your standard laboratory bunsen burner, but recently discovered an innovative alternative. Argos Technologies offers a safe alternative to the standard laboratory Bunsen burner. The XT Model works either manually, with a foot switch or in sensor mode. It is supplied with an NimH 2 year battery pack and gas tubing adapter.

Both of the models can be used with standard house gas (propane & butane).

In the case of the XT Model (pictured on the left) the ability to be used with an intergrated gas cartridge, which allows for portability. (Gas Cartridge Adapter and canisters sold separately).

Steel construction and portability make it ideal for working with Laminar Flow Hoods. The StarFire ST (pictured on the right) operates by manual or foot-switch mode only and is connected to your household gas source.

As an added safety feature both models include an
overheating protection system that automatically
shuts off the gas should the unit overheat. Gas
supply is also cut off if the flame is extinguished
for any reason. Another nice feature is that the burner head can be removed for easy cleaning.

Available accessories include:

Foot-switch with connecting cable
Windshield for use in laminar flow hoods
Glass splash protecting dome
Gas cartridge adapter for connecting butane cartridges
Butane gas cartridges (Available individually or 6 Pack)

StephenG

BOD

blogupdate — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:09:40 +0000

Biochemical Oxygen Demand is used to measure the amount of organic material and nutrients available to microorganisms in water and waste water. The standard test is the BOD₅ which measure the amount of dissolved oxygen used in 5 days at 20°C. The amount of Oxygen used by the natural organisms in water is directly proportional to the amount of organic matter and nutrients available. If there are too many of these nutrients available the microorganisms can use all the Oxygen available faster the body of water can take up atmospheric oxygen; fish and other aquatic life can be killed by this lack of Oxygen. It is important waste water entering lakes streams and rivers do not contain too many of the organic material and nutrients. The BOD₅ test involves determining the dissolved O₂ in a water sample and then enclosing the sample in an airtight container. The container is kept at 20°C and in the dark for 5 days and the amount of dissolved O₂ is determined again. The amount of O₂ used is directly proportional to the amount of organic matter available to the natural microorganisms. The bottles used in BOD₅ determination are specially designed to be air tight and to overflow when the cap is applied assuring that no trapped air remains in the bottle. To keep variables constant the sample is seeded with suitable microorganisms suspended in a buffer which has been saturated with O₂. The dissolved O₂ is determined using a DO probe and meter. Various types of DO electrodes or probes are available for the determination of dissolved Oxygen but probes designed for the BOD₅ test are tapered to fit the BOD bottle and may include a stirrer to assure proper sampling of the water in the BOD bottle. BOD probes can be electrochemical in nature using redox potential and an Oxygen permeable membrane. Another type of BOD probe is based on quenching by Oxygen of the luminescence emission of a photo active chemical compound.

Robin

Gas Detectors

blogupdate — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:50:35 +0000

Biosystems ToxiPro™ and ToxiLtd™ Single-Sensor Gas Detectors. These detectors are Full Feature Gas Monitors. For ease of maintenance, both detectors can be used with a Docking Station, an automatic bump test and calibration station with built-in record-keeping. All units are available with a single bright LED or optional internal vibrating alarm that works in tandem with the audible and visual alarms. Fully Serviceable and reliable ToxiPro™ gas detectors feature a black box recorder and real-time, peak, STEL, and TWA readings.

The detectors are gas specific. They include:

Gas Detectors with Carbon Monoxide Sensor
Gas Detectors with Carbon Monoxide/Hydrogen Sulfide Sensor
Gas Detectors with Hydrogen Sulfide Sensor
Gas Detectors with Sulfur Dioxide Sensor
Gas Detectors with Ammonia Sensor
Gas Detectors with Chlorine Sensor
Gas Detectors with Hydrogen Cyanide Sensor
Gas Detectors with Nitrogen Dioxide Sensor
Gas Detectors with Oxygen Sensor
Gas Detectors with Phosphine Sensor

Detectors are supplied with heavy-duty alligator clips, calibration adapter, hose, operator’s guide, and quick reference card. The ToxiPro™ detectors come with a replaceable lithium battery with 9000 hours of operation. The ToxiLtd™ detectors come with an internal lithium battery with two years of operation.

LabPlanet’s knowledgeable Associates are available to assist you with identifying the best detector for your needs.

StephenG

Oxygen Sensor

blogupdate — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:39:01 +0000

In the environment dissolved Oxygen is one measure of the health of a body of water. O₂ sensors and meters are used to determine the oxygen saturation in water. Oxygen saturation is important for the health of fish and other aquatic wildlife and low Oxygen levels, hypoxia, inhibit the growth of aquatic life and can cause fish kills. Oxygen is depleted in a body of water when an excess of plant nutrients enters the aquatic environment; the resulting phytoplankton bloom may temporarily raise the Oxygen level due to photosynthesis but the O₂ level is soon depleted at night due to respiration. When the excess phytoplankton die they are consumed by bacteria, a process which further depletes dissolved Oxygen. Oxygen depletion can also occur in an estuary where fresh water enters the ocean. The stratification caused by the less dense fresh water staying on top of the more dense salt water prevents the normal mixing of the ocean resulting in low O₂ levels in the lowest levels of highest salinity.

DO probes have become one of the basic tools in monitoring aquatic environments. Oxygen probes can be used with portable meters as a spot check in lakes streams and oceans, or in the laboratory for research purposes. DO probes are also used as a constant monitor in aquaculture. Manufacturers of DO probes and meters include but are not limited to Mettler Toledo, Thermo Scientific, Beckman Coulter, YSI, and Hach.

Robin

Reductase Test

blogupdate — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 18:38:18 +0000

The reductase test is a test used to determine the quality of milk. This test measures the oxidation reduction potential due to the exhaustion of dissolved oxygen by microorganisms. Methylene blue loses its color as it becomes reduced. In the reductase test 1mL of methylene blue is placed in 10mL of milk. The tube is sealed with a rubber stopper and slowly inverted three times to mix. It is placed in a water bath at 35 C. and examined at intervals up to 6 hours. The time is takes for methylene blue to become colorless is the methylene blue reduction time for (MBRT). The shorter the MBRT, the lower the quality of milk. An MBRT of 6 hours is very good however an MBRT of 30 minutes indicates a very poor milk quality. The test is based on the assumption that all bacteria in milk lower the oxidation reduction potential at 35 C. Nonpathogenic bacteria which do not grow at this temperature would not produce a positive result. Streptococcus lacis and Escherichia coli are strong reducers and are present in raw milk.