Laboratory Equipment

*This is a guest post written by our supplier, Benchmark Scientific. If you are interested in contributing a piece for our readership, send us an email and we'll follow up.*

Until quite recently, dry baths (sometimes referred to as “incubators” or “block heaters”) were very simple heating machines that would allow users to have marginal control over temperature of samples. With the advent of the digital age and the integration of the microchip into laboratory equipment, this temperature control has become much more accurate and the units have become easier to use. Currently there are a few different models of dry baths out on the market and here is a general summary of some of them:

Analog Dry Baths: analog dry baths are the original dry baths available to laboratory personnel. These feature knobs with periodic markings from 0 to 9. The user would turn the knob to increase temperature. It is vital that a thermometer is used with this kind of dry bath as it is difficult to know, except through trial and error, what temperature each of the numbers corresponds to.

Digital Dry Baths: This is the next generation of dry baths. These dry baths use microchips to internally control temperature. Some companies use knobs for temperature adjustment, while some, like Benchmark Scientific, use buttons. Numbers on a digital screen will display temperature which is adjusted by either the movement of the knobs or the pressing of the up or down buttons. These dry baths provide much more accurate temperature control and eliminate the need for an external thermometer (except in the case of calibration).

Both analog and digital dry baths can come in many different configurations and sizes. As a rule, dry bath capacity is measured in blocks and some of the most common sizes are 1,2 and 4 block models. Some models are known as “fixed block” dry baths. These dry baths have a block (or blocks) of a certain size built into them that cannot be taken out or exchanged. Some models, called modular block dry baths feature a more adaptive system that allows the user to exchange blocks for different sized tubes as he/she needs them. Recently, a push for smaller, lighter and more portable equipment has caused companies to minimize laboratory equipment size. Currently, Benchmark Scientific manufactures the smallest interchangeable block dry bath in the world. The MyBlock™ Mini has a capacity equal to some standard 1 block dry baths but it can fit into the palm of your hand and weighs only 3lbs.

Heating and Cooling Dry Baths: With the growing popularity of Peltier cooling, a new section of the dry bath market began to develop. Some manufacturers are starting to offer digital dry baths that can both heat and cool. Usually the cooling capacity of these dry baths is ambient temperature-20˚C. These can be very useful for molecular biology applications that require close to 0˚C temperatures to keep samples from denaturing.

Shaking Dry Baths: Some researchers in the Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Genetics and Cell biology fields require either constant or intermittent agitation of samples in addition to constant heating. The solution to this used to be a temporary change in temperature of sample as the researcher would vortex the sample then place it back into the heating block. This sudden change in temperature can cause some damage to the sample and it is preferable to avoid it if possible. Some companies have taken this into account and are now offering shaking dry baths, such as the Multitherm™. The units available can generally shake and heat at the same time. There are also variations that can shake and heat or cool. As a general rule, these units are programmable and easy to use. They are incredibly accurate and offer a lot of versatility for the researcher.

We’re expanding our Laboratory Equipment section with the addition of the Scilogex line of products. This new gear can be found among the Mini Centrifuges, Vortex Mixers, Hotplates/Stirrers, and Shakers. We also made a new category to accommodate their collection of Overhead Stirrers.

The Scilogex products complement our existing lineup by providing a premium option to accomplish a variety of common lab functions. The new items incorporate features like digital displays to make these everyday tasks a snap. For instance, the new Orbital Shakers have an RS232 interface so they can be controlled through a PC, and Scilogex models of Mini Centrifuges include bio-safe rotors and cooling systems.

Take a look at the brochures provided on the different category pages for detailed information on each the new models!

This month’s Laboratory Equipment magazine features a reader survey on liquid handling devices that shows just how common these items are in the lab. In fact, 91% of the respondents indicated that they are using a liquid handling system, and about 75% are using their equipment at least several times per week.

The most commonly used devices are pipets (75%) and pipet tips (70%), followed closely by syringes (68%) and then filters (67%). Less popular items include flow controllers (16%) and liquid level meters (10%). Overall, 80% of respondents said that they are completely or mostly satisfied with their equipment. Hopefully that group includes our customers…

The uses for liquid handling devices are spread out across a range of applications without any dominant focus. The most frequent applications are basic research (36%) and sample preparation (34%). Less common answers include wastewater (16%), pharmaceutical  (16%), and water analysis (20%).

Click on either of the charts below to enlarge.

Are you buying more lab equipment than in the past? You’re probably not alone according to the latest Forecast & Analysis report from Frost & Sullivan. Worldwide revenue for all laboratory products reached $36.2 billion in 2010, up 5.4% over last year. That number figures to keep climbing over the next few years as biopharmaceutical products become more prevalent and the Asian markets continue expanding.

The United States continues to be the biggest spenders for laboratory products at $15.7 billion, followed closely by the European Union at $14.8 billion. However, for the best market potential we may look to India and China, where growth rates are in the double digits (the U.S. and Europe are only growing around 2-3%).

Sadly, the report isn’t all good news. Government laboratories are seeing their budgets frozen or cut due to the weakened economy. As governments in the US and abroad continue to tighten their wallets, these laboratories, which include government-funded universities, are likely going to have less money to spend. While it's certainly understandable considering the tough budget forces most countries are facing, it is a shame to see cuts in this area since the Research & Development that these facilities conduct are an investment in our future welfare.

One thing we can take away from this report is that we are lucky in today’s world to be working in a market with steady demand for its output, something none of us should take for granted.

Our newest product category, Sterilization Test Equipment, features several items with different methods for determining if your lab materials have been properly sterilized. So to avoid confusion in what can be a life-or-death matter, we’ve pulled together some resources from the manufacturer of this line, 3M Health Care.

This product line can be broken down into three categories: Physical monitors, chemical indicators, and biological indicators. Because each type has its own unique advantages and disadvantages, the organizations that publish guidelines for sterilization, such as the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and AAMI (Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation), recommend a combination of these monitoring types to get a clear picture of the sterilization process.

Let’s break down each type of sterilization monitor and its pros and cons:

• Physical monitors – Includes gauges, electric readouts, etc.
  • Pros – Provides real time information.
  • Cons – Can only monitor one location at a time.
• Chemical indicators – Usually specialized inks coated onto paper, plastic or foil.
  • Pros – Provides immediate feedback; size and cost allow for multiple placements.
  • Cons – Does not indicate lethality.
• Biological indicators – Contains a large number of viable microorganisms (generally bacterial spores) that are known to resist a particular sterilization process.
  • Pros – Provides a direct indication of lethality.
  • Cons – Requires incubation before final results can be obtained.

If you’d like to learn more about sterilization monitors, you can check out our catalog, as well as this self-study series that 3M Health Care published in this month’s Healthcare Purchasing News. They even included a test you can send in to them to see how much you know about sterilization in the medical field.