A Blog On Biosafety Cabinets and Their Classifications

A biosafety or biological safety cabinet is an enclosure box that helps to protect the product, user, and environment. That protection is from the harmful effects of hazardous microorganisms. Often, scientists or researchers have to deal with a myriad of pathogens when in the lab. Then, they have to store the same. But they cannot just put those agents out in the open. Do you know why? Well, it's because they can trigger a biomedical emergency. So, the increased use of BSCs has been seen in the last year or so in the healthcare sector. The obvious reason is pandemic. It led to multiple experiments and the handling of different biomedical samples. But that’s just one reason for industries and scientists to use BSCs. Therefore, we feel like this is the right time to talk about the classification of BSCs or biosafety cabinets. This blog will then be useful for any such purchaser, buyer, or scientists looking for BSCs. Purpose Of These BSCs: It provides protection cover for: Environment: The protection is given to the entire workplace. The biochemical won’t be lying around. Instead, it will be safe inside the BSC. User: The unseen and unsafe pathogens are contained within the BSCs. Therefore, there is no harm that the operator goes through with the exposure of the same. Product: The product is safe from any external toxins and impurities while being stored in the BSC. The Proper Classification Of Biosafety Cabinets: Class 1 Cabinets This class of biosafety cabinets protects the environment and the user. Only bio-chemicals and elements with low to medium risk are used in these enclosures. The biosafety levels range from 1 to 3 in these cabinets. Class 2 Cabinets These cabinets provide safety to each user (researcher, scientist, or experimenter), product, and environment. The biosafety levels are the same, that is, ranging from 1 to 3. Here, 70 percent of air will be put through the HEPA filter. While 30 percent simply exists from the HEPA filter to exhaust without further filtration. You will find Type A1, A2, B1, and B2 BSCs in this class. Class 3 Cabinets This enclosure is aerosol-tight and also termed as the glovebox. It is completely sealed and deals with hazardous pathogens and bio-chemicals. You would have to wear rubber gloves while operating on any chemical or product using this class of BSC. These biosafety cabinets have a double door autoclave on the other side of the chamber. And when you need to put the decontamination process into place, you will use those autoclaves. The biosafety level is actually four in this class. Website: https://www.kewaunee.in/