Labculture® Class II Type A2 Biosafety Cabinet
  Containment and Protection
  Cabinet Airflow
  Sentinel Microprocessor Control
  Cabinet Construction
  Engineering Details
  Technical Specifications
  Purchase Specifications
Labculture® Class II Type B2 Biosafety Cabinet
  Containment and Protection
  Cabinet Airflow
  Sentinel Microprocessor Control
  Cabinet Construction
  Engineering Details
  Technical Specifications
  Purchase Specification
 
Working Safely In Your Biological Safety Cabinet
Free Posters Available from Esco Biotech
Biohazard Safety Cabinet Classess
A Guide to Biosafety And Biological Safety Cabinets
Comparative Study of Cabinets
Comprehensive Performance Testing at Esco
 

North America
Esco Technologies, Inc.
2940 Turnpike Drive,
Units 15-16,
Hatboro, PA 19040, USA

Toll-Free: 1-877-479-3726
Phone: 215-441-9661
Fax: 215-441-9660
usa@escoglobal.com


Asia-Pacific
Esco Micro Pte Ltd
21 Changi South Street 1
Singapore 486777

Tel: +65 6542 0833
Fax: +65 6542 6920
mail@escoglobal.com

     
 
Every Labculture LA2 model manufactured by Esco is individually tested, documented by serial number and validated with the following test methods.
  • Inflow / downflow velocity
  • PAO aerosol challenge for filter integrity
  • Light, noise and vibration
  • Airflow pattern visualization
  • Electrical safety to IEC61010-1
  • KI-Discus containment
  • Additional microbiological testing is performed
    on statistical sampling basis.
 
 


     
 
Esco performs testing in accordance with more than 10 of the world’s most recognized standards for local, regional and international criteria. Testing in our microbiology laboratory is conducted according to NSF / ANSI 49, EN 12469, and JIS K3800. An NSF-accredited biohazard cabinet field certifier is available in-house full-time to supervise all testing work. Harmless Bacillus atrophaeus (formerly Bacillus Subtilis) bacteria is used to challenge the cabinet, then incubated for 48 hours and the Colony Forming Units (CFU) are counted to determine the testing results. Increased microbiological challenge tests with objects inside the cabinet work zone, Bunsen burner, external airflow disturbance, and Human-As-Mannequin test adapted from Fume Hood development were performed to simulate real-world conditions.
  
     


     
 
The test objective is to evaluate the safety of the cabinet for the personnel operating on potentially hazardous samples in the cabinet workzone.
  • A nebulizer containing 55 mL of 5 to 8 x 108 spores/mL B.atrophaeus spores is placed inside the workzone, 10 cm (4 inches) behind the front opening sash.
  • Target slit air samplers and impingers are placed outside the workzone to capture possibly escaping B.atrophaeus spores, then the sample is incubated
  • Acceptance: The number of Bacillus atrophaeus CFU recovered from the agar plates shall not exceed 10 CFU per test.
  
     


     
 
The test objective is to determine cabinet protection to the product/samples inside the cabinet workzone from environmental contaminants.
  • A nebulizer containing 55 mL of 5 to 8 x 106 spores/mL B.atrophaeus is placed at 10 cm (4 inches) in front of sash window.
  • Target agar plates are placed throughout the entire work surface.
  • Acceptance: The number of Bacillus atrophaeus CFU recovered from the agar plates shall not exceed 5 CFU per test
  
     


     
  The test objective is to evaluate cabinet protection from cross contamination of samples placed simultaneously inside the workzone.
  • A nebulizer containing 55 mL of spores (5 to 8 x 104/mL) is placed against one of the workzone sidewalls.
  • Target agar plates are placed 36 cm (14”) away from the same side wall
  • Acceptance: The number of Bacillus atrophaeus CFU recovered on agar plates shall not exceed 2 CFU per test.
  
     


     
 
Esco is currently one of the few companies in the world equipped to perform the KI Discus test for our customers. The KI Discus test is defined in the European Standard for microbiological safety cabinets, EN 12469, as a test method for validating the operator/ personnel protection capabilities of the cabinet.
  • The KI Discus test shows excellent correlation with the microbiological test method for operator protection, and is useful for validating the actual containment performance of the cabinet on-site.
  • The KI-Discus takes only 45 minutes as opposed to 2 days for microbiological testing.
  • Thus, each Esco Labculture LA2 model is factory tested using the KI Discus method for operator safety.
  
     


     
 
Esco cabinets are designed to operate within a performance envelope to maintain protection for personnel, product and the environment.

Airflow parameters used to frame the performance envelope include both inflow velocity and downflow velocity.

The graph illustrates the boundaries of the performance envelope (based on a 1.2 meter / 4 ft. cabinet), as well as the nominal performance point at which tests are conducted.

The range between high and low Inflow, and high and low downflow, together with the fluid dynamics achieved through sophisticated cabinet design, proportionally size capture slots, and uniform laminar airflow, combine to deliver a complete containment and safety solution expected of a professional biological safety cabinet.

For details on the Esco performance envelope contact Esco or your Esco Sales Representative.