Storage Systems & Processes

  1. Laboratory Refrigerator Comparison Guide for Clinical, Research and Environmental Settings

    Laboratory Refrigerator Comparison Guide for Clinical, Research and Environmental Settings

    Laboratory and medical-grade refrigerators are manufactured in a broad range of sizes, from benchtop models smaller than 6 cubic feet to upright, double-door models larger than 40 cubic feet. Refrigerators smaller than 6 cubic feet are designed to fit on crowded work surfaces or under pharmacy counters to provide point-of-use cold storage for media, reagents, or vaccines.

    High-capacity, upright refrigerators include microprocessor controls to maintain precise, uniform conditions throughout the storage area to prevent sample spoilage due to temperature fluctuations. Double-door and triple-door refrigerators isolate samples from different production batches to prevent cross-contamination and exposure during refrigerator access.

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  2. Environmental Testing and Stability Chambers - Comparison and Features

    Environmental Testing and Stability Chambers - Comparison and Features

    Environmental test chambers are designed to maintain user-specified atmospheric conditions, through temperature, humidity, airflow, and light cycling controls, for stability and shelf-life testing of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, raw materials or food products.

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  3. Incubator Features Comparison

    Incubator Features Comparison

    Lab incubators and environmental test chambers are designed to maintain environmental conditions ideal for growing and storing bacterial and mammalian cell cultures.

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  4. Desiccator Cabinet Features Comparison

    Desiccator Cabinet Features Comparison

    You need to protect sensitive samples, but you don’t want to overpay. Below is a list of application descriptions to help choose the best desiccator storage system for your application and budget.

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  5. Moisture-Free Storage: Nitrogen or Desiccant?

    Moisture-Free Storage: Nitrogen or Desiccant?

    Desiccators, sometimes called dry boxes, provide a low-humidity atmosphere for storage of items and materials that would otherwise be damaged by moisture. Desiccators are used for a wide range of applications across several scientific disciplines.

    In chemistry and biology, desiccators are often used to store hygroscopic reagents and chemicals. Keeping these compounds in a low-humidity environment drastically increases their shelf life. In semiconductor research and manufacturing, dry storage is often employed to prevent damaging oxidation of wafers and other components that can lead to immediate or latent failures.

    In order to achieve a low relative-humidity (RH) atmosphere for storage within a desiccator, two storage techniques are commonly used: desiccant-based and nitrogen-purged.

    Benefits of Desiccant

    A desiccant is a hygroscopic material, often silica gel. We’ve all seen “pillow packs” in pill bottles and electronic packaging.

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  6. Selecting a Cryoprotectant for Eukaryotic & Bacterial Cell Storage

    Selecting a Cryoprotectant for Eukaryotic & Bacterial Cell Storage

    The cryoprotectant your lab selects for long-term storage of both eukaryotic and bacterial cell storage can have profound implications for future experimental results. Cryoprotectants, literally “to protect cells and tissue from damage due to freezing,” can be man-made, or generated in nature. For example, some species of plants and animals produce substances with anti-freeze properties to help them survive cold environments. The sugar trehalose is one such compound, and is being tested as a cryoprotectant option for lab use.

    Vial Boxes for cryogenic storage

    Vial boxes for cryogenic storage

    These cellular guardians are generally formulated with other

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  7. Choosing the Right Laboratory Refrigerator or Freezer

    Choosing the Right Laboratory Refrigerator or Freezer

    Just as there are many different types of laboratories with varying needs, there are many laboratory freezers/refrigerators to fill those needs. Based on the types of specimens and supplies you intend to store, choose a freezer that fits the bill. Keep reading for some information that will help you determine which units work best for your lab.

    Jewett Pass-Thru Lab Refrigerators

    If you handle non-critical samples that still require temperature uniformity and security, these Pass-Thru refrigerators are ideal. Your laboratory will run more efficiently with the ability to access the refrigerator at multiple entry points. The dual-direction sliding drawers are convenient for technicians on both sides to quickly access samples and supplies. With heated, triple-pane glass doors, there is no risk of condensation or fog. When necessary, you can secure your samples by locking the door with a key. Its affordability makes it a great choice for life-science,

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  8. Environmental Test Chambers 101

    Environmental Test Chambers 101

    For decades, environmental test chambers have been used to study products with countless applications in fields such as aerospace, artificial intelligence, automotive, electronics, solar cell, medical, industrial and consumer research. In these industries, the sample or material to be tested must be exposed to defined variations of environmental factors to study the effects, or even as preparation for future studies.

    The conditions an environmental test chamber is able to replicate are: temperature set-point (or variations), moisture in the form of relative humidity or rain, electromagnetic radiation, vibration, weathering, salt spraying, sunlight exposure/UV degradation, and vacuum. The type of testing involved will determine the chamber type;

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