Choosing the Right Laboratory Enclosure: A Comprehensive Guide
Laboratories are hubs of scientific discovery, but they also come with significant risks. From handling biological agents to working with volatile chemicals, ensuring proper containment is essential for protecting the user, the sample, and the environment. In this blog post, we will explore the different types of laboratory enclosures, how they work, and guide you through selecting the best enclosure for your specific application.
What Are Laboratory Enclosures? Laboratory enclosures are controlled environments designed to protect users, samples, and the surrounding environment from hazards. These hazards could range from biological pathogens and toxic chemicals to physical risks such as radiation or heat. The type of enclosure you choose depends largely on the nature of the work and the hazards involved.
Categories of Enclosures:
I. Biological Safety Cabinets (BSCs)1 : They are designed for work involving biological agents, protecting the user, the sample, and the environment. BSCs use HEPA or ULPA filters to clean the air inside the cabinet and can be classified into three main types based on the level of protection provided:
Class I BSC: Protects the user and environment, but not the sample. Suitable for low-risk biological agents.
Class II BSC: Protects the user, sample, and environment. Ideal for sterile biological work such as tissue culture or microbiology.
Class III BSC: Offers the highest level of protection for the user, sample, and environment. Designed for work with highly infectious agents (e.g., BSL-3 or BSL-4 labs).
II. Chemical Fume Hoods2 : They are essential for handling hazardous chemicals, protecting the user by venting harmful vapours out of the laboratory. There are two main types:
Ducted Fume Hoods: Vent harmful vapours to the outside environment. These are best suited for working with highly volatile, flammable, or toxic chemicals. Suitable for larger volumes of chemicals.
Ductless Fume Hoods: Filter hazardous substances and recirculate air back into the laboratory. These are appropriate for low-risk chemicals where external venting is not possible. Suitable for small volumes of chemicals. Usage of various filters to trap the chemical substances.
III. Physical Safety Enclosures: For handling materials that present physical hazards such as radioactive materials, highly toxic chemicals, or explosive substances.
Shielded Glove Boxes: These enclosures provide a fully sealed environment, with glove access for manipulation of hazardous materials. They are typically used in laboratories that handle toxic, radioactive, or high-risk substances. Use lead to shield the enclosures.
IV. Glove Boxes4 : They provide a controlled, sealed environment for handling sensitive or hazardous materials. They are commonly used in laboratories where manipulation of highly reactive, toxic, or sensitive materials is required without exposure to the external environment.
Inert Gas Glove Boxes: These maintain an inert atmosphere, such as nitrogen or argon, to protect sensitive materials from reacting with oxygen or moisture in the air. This type of glove box is ideal for handling reactive chemicals or air-sensitive materials.
Vacuum Glove Boxes: These are used when an extremely low-pressure environment is required, usually for handling highly sensitive or toxic materials. The vacuum system ensures that no contamination or external substances can enter the enclosure.
Anaerobic Glove Boxes: Specifically designed to maintain a completely oxygen-free environment, these are ideal for working with anaerobic organisms or oxygen-sensitive materials. They are commonly used in microbiology and biotechnology labs where the absence of oxygen is crucial.
V. Laminar Flow Cabinets1: They are designed to protect only the sample, creating a sterile, contaminent-free environment. These enclosures are ideal for sensitive procedures such as tissue culture, media preparation, or electronics assembly.
Horizontal Laminar Flow: Air flows horizontally from the back of the chamber to the front, across the work surface.
Vertical Laminar Flow: Air flows from the top of the chamber downwards, offering more protection from contaminants introduced by the user’s hands or arms.
VI. Isolator3They are enclosures offering a controlled and sterile environment for handling sensitive materials through gas-tight closures that act as protective barriers. They ensure operator safety and integrity of the products by maintaining different pressures within and outside the isolator.
Positive Pressure Isolators: These isolators maintain a higher internal pressure than the surrounding environment. Hence if a leak occurs, clean air escapes to the environment instead of allowing external contaminants to enter. They are commonly used in processes that require strict sterility, such as aseptic processing.
Negative Pressure Isolators: These isolators maintain lower internal pressure, protecting the external environment from hazardous materials by drawing air into the isolator and preventing airborne toxins from escaping. They are used for handling hazardous substances.
Each of these serves a specific purpose, and understanding how they differ will help you make the right choice for your needs.
Enclosure Type
Subtypes
Primary Use
Airflow Direction
User Protection
Sample Protection
Environment Protection
Biological Safety Cabinets (BSCs)
Class I BSC
Handling low-risk biological materials
Inward (into the cabinet)
Yes
No
Yes
Class II BSC
Sterile biological work
Vertical laminar airflow
Yes
Yes
Yes
Class III BSC
High-risk pathogen containment
Fully enclosed with filtered air
Yes (highest)
Yes
Yes
Chemical Fume Hoods
Ducted Fume Hood
Handling hazardous chemicals
Inward (vented externally)
Yes
No
Yes
Ductless Fume Hood
Chemical work with vapours; lab work
Inward (filtered, recirculated)
Yes
No
No
Physical Safety Enclosures
Shielded Glove Boxes
Handling toxic, radioactive, or hazardous substances
Sealed with no airflow; gloves used
Yes
Yes
Yes
Glove Boxes
Inert Gas Glove Box
Handling highly reactive or toxic substances
Sealed, inert gas environment
Yes
Yes
Yes
Vacuum Glove Box
Work with sensitive materials or reactions
Sealed, vacuum environment
Yes
Yes
Yes
Anaerobic Glove Box
Handling anaerobic organisms or oxygen-sensitive work
Sealed, oxygen-free environment
Yes
Yes
Yes
Laminar Flow Cabinets
Horizontal Laminar Flow
Sterile tissue culture, media preparation
Horizontal (back to front)
No
Yes
No
Vertical Laminar Flow
Sterile procedures, electronics assembly
Vertical (top to bottom)
No
Yes
No
Isolators
Positive Pressure Isolator
Aseptic processes, pharmaceutical preparation
Positive pressure; sealed environment
Yes
Yes
No
Negative Pressure Isolator
Handling hazardous materials or substances
Negative pressure; sealed environment
Yes
Yes
Yes
How to Select the Best Enclosure for Your Application
Here are the factors to consider for selecting a suitable enclosure based on your specific needs:
Identify the Type of Work and Hazards
Determine the Protection Requirements
Regulatory Guidelines and Safety Standards
Consider Airflow Requirements
Evaluate Space and Cost Considerations
Choosing the right laboratory enclosure is essential for ensuring safety, maintaining sample integrity, and protecting the environment. By understanding the different types of enclosures and their applications, you can make an informed decision that meets both your scientific and regulatory needs. Whether you are working with biological agents, hazardous chemicals, or sensitive sterile procedures, there is an enclosure designed to provide the protection you require.
Make safety your priority—choose the right laboratory enclosure for your work!
Featured brands include, but are not limited to the below. Please contact us to help you find the right enclosure for your specific application.
Citations
1. Dille , E. (2022, July 11). What’s the difference between a fume hood, biosafety cabinet and laminar airflow bench? Retrieved October 20, 2024,.
The information below is required for social login
Sign In
Create New Account
Choosing the Right Laboratory Enclosure: A Comprehensive Guide
Laboratories are hubs of scientific discovery, but they also come with significant risks. From handling biological agents to working with volatile chemicals, ensuring proper containment is essential for protecting the user, the sample, and the environment. In this blog post, we will explore the different types of laboratory enclosures, how they work, and guide you through selecting the best enclosure for your specific application.
What Are Laboratory Enclosures?
Laboratory enclosures are controlled environments designed to protect users, samples, and the surrounding environment from hazards. These hazards could range from biological pathogens and toxic chemicals to physical risks such as radiation or heat. The type of enclosure you choose depends largely on the nature of the work and the hazards involved.
Categories of Enclosures:
I. Biological Safety Cabinets (BSCs)1 : They are designed for work involving biological agents, protecting the user, the sample, and the environment. BSCs use HEPA or ULPA filters to clean the air inside the cabinet and can be classified into three main types based on the level of protection provided:
II. Chemical Fume Hoods2 : They are essential for handling hazardous chemicals, protecting the user by venting harmful vapours out of the laboratory. There are two main types:
Ducted Fume Hoods: Vent harmful vapours to the outside environment. These are best suited for working with highly volatile, flammable, or toxic chemicals. Suitable for larger volumes of chemicals.
III. Physical Safety Enclosures: For handling materials that present physical hazards such as radioactive materials, highly toxic chemicals, or explosive substances.
Shielded Glove Boxes: These enclosures provide a fully sealed environment, with glove access for manipulation of hazardous materials. They are typically used in laboratories that handle toxic, radioactive, or high-risk substances. Use lead to shield the enclosures.
IV. Glove Boxes4 : They provide a controlled, sealed environment for handling sensitive or hazardous materials. They are commonly used in laboratories where manipulation of highly reactive, toxic, or sensitive materials is required without exposure to the external environment.
V. Laminar Flow Cabinets1: They are designed to protect only the sample, creating a sterile, contaminent-free environment. These enclosures are ideal for sensitive procedures such as tissue culture, media preparation, or electronics assembly.
VI. Isolator3 They are enclosures offering a controlled and sterile environment for handling sensitive materials through gas-tight closures that act as protective barriers. They ensure operator safety and integrity of the products by maintaining different pressures within and outside the isolator.
Each of these serves a specific purpose, and understanding how they differ will help you make the right choice for your needs.
How to Select the Best Enclosure for Your Application
Here are the factors to consider for selecting a suitable enclosure based on your specific needs:
Choosing the right laboratory enclosure is essential for ensuring safety, maintaining sample integrity, and protecting the environment. By understanding the different types of enclosures and their applications, you can make an informed decision that meets both your scientific and regulatory needs. Whether you are working with biological agents, hazardous chemicals, or sensitive sterile procedures, there is an enclosure designed to provide the protection you require.
Make safety your priority—choose the right laboratory enclosure for your work!
Featured brands include, but are not limited to the below. Please contact us to help you find the right enclosure for your specific application.
Citations
1. Dille , E. (2022, July 11). What’s the difference between a fume hood, biosafety cabinet and laminar airflow bench? Retrieved October 20, 2024,.
2. Laboratory Report. (n.d.). The ultimate guide to choosing the right laboratory fume hood. Laboratory Report. Retrieved November 4, 2024, from https://laboratory-report.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-choosing-the-right-laboratory-fume-hood/
3. Faster Air. (2021, July 19). Positive vs negative pressure isolators. Faster Air. Retrieved November 4, 2024, from https://fasterair.co.uk/2021/07/19/positive-vs-negative-pressure-isolators/
4.SEPS Services. (n.d.). A comprehensive guide to glove boxes. SEPS Services. Retrieved November 4, 2024, from https://www.sepsservices.com/resources/certification/a-comprehensive-guide-to-glove-boxes/
Author: Nandini Nallappan, Product Manager
Contact Us