Laboratory Centrifuges: Use and Safety Tips

by Sophie Moore Articles About Latest Updates| News Laboratory Centrifuges are very popular devices that have been around and in use since a very long time. These are devices that are driven by an electric motor. They rotate the tubes around a fixed axis applying a force perpendicular to the axis. It has several different applications for example it is used blood banks to separate the different components of blood. It is also extensively used in laboratories to perform various kinds of tests. In addition to which they are also used in science and medical laboratories to separate proteins and chemicals by applying centrifugal force to a container which spins the container rapidly. This results in the separation of substances of different densities; in this case it separates the plasma from the blood which is required for several testing procedures.



However the safety of the centrifuge device is of major importance and thus here are few tips to keep safe while using the centrifuge.

1. Cracked tubes should be discarded immediately and never used inside the centrifuge since they can not only damage the centrifuge but in case of handling hazardous material it can also harm the operator.

2. The centrifuge must be placed on an even surface at all times, especially when in use.

3. While the centrifuge is on; if you do notice any wobbling or shaking then you should pull the plug immediately since that is not a normal action and could potentially hard the device.



4. Special care should be taken while setting up the Centrifuge for use. The number of tubes in the rotor should always be even to balance the rotor. For example if the sample is of 10ml then a 10ml tube of water should be placed in the opposite section to balance off the rotor.

5. However the density of the sample should also be taken into consideration while balancing the tubes. The total mass of the tubes on either side should be as similar as possible. The rotor spins at a very high speed and if the load is not balanced it can permanently damage the centrifuge.

6. Thus it is needless to mention that the operator needs to be accurate and precise while taking the measurements of the sample and the balancing liquids.



7. The tubes used in the laboratory should always be labelled. This is not essential towards the usage of the centrifuge however it is in good practice to do so. It actually prevents the operator from mistaking the contents of the tube; since if the tube contains some hazardous substance and is not handled properly because you are unaware of the content then it could have disastrous repercussions.

8. It is highly discouraged to open the lid of the rotor while it is in motion. Though most of the centrifuges have a shutoff feature, where they shut off the instant they are opened during their process, it should never be tested.

9. It is also in good practice to wear safety goggles while working with a centrifuge device.

Get more information about laboratory centrifuge manufacturers contact here.

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Hi, I am Sophie Moore. I am a online marketer with 5 years of experience. Follow me on Twitter, on Google +Sophie and/or become a friend on Facebook.

Other laboratory centrifuge related post:

1. Safety with Lab Centrifuges

2. Top Applications of Laboratory Centrifuges

3. Laboratory Centrifuge

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Created on Dec 31st 1969 18:00. Viewed 0 times.

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