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Activity 1 (Bacte Lab)

Class I BSCs provide protection to the environment but no product protection. Air passes over the work surface and is exhausted after filtration. Class II BSCs provide personnel, product, and environmental protection using HEPA-filtered downward airflow and exhaust. Class III BSCs provide the highest level of containment for hazardous pathogens, being fully enclosed and gas-tight with double HEPA filtration of exhaust air.

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Hershei Vonne Baccay
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89 views

Activity 1 (Bacte Lab)

Class I BSCs provide protection to the environment but no product protection. Air passes over the work surface and is exhausted after filtration. Class II BSCs provide personnel, product, and environmental protection using HEPA-filtered downward airflow and exhaust. Class III BSCs provide the highest level of containment for hazardous pathogens, being fully enclosed and gas-tight with double HEPA filtration of exhaust air.

Uploaded by

Hershei Vonne Baccay
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Hershei Vonne M.

Baccay
BSMT 2- Set 1 (A)
Code: 266

A. Draw and label the following biosafety cabinets: BSC CLASS I, BSC CLASS
II, BSC CLASS III.
B. Explain their usage and working mechanisms.

1. BSC CLASS I

 Usage

The Class I Biological Safety Cabinet (BSC) is the most basic


biosafety cabinet that provides protection to the environment and the
laboratory personnel. It provide personnel and environmental
protection, but offer no product protection. This type of cabinet is
commonly used to enclose equipment such as fermenters,
homogenizers or for procedures where product protection is not a
concern. Class 1 cabinets are suitable for some work procedures at
containment level 1 and 2 if no protection of the work is required. It
doesn’t, however, provide protection to the product as the unsterilized
room air is drawn over the work surface. Class I biosafety cabinets are
typically used to either enclose specific equipment like centrifuges or
for procedures like aerating cultures that might potentially generate
aerosols. Class I BSCs are suitable for work with Risk Group 1, Risk
Group 2, and Risk Group 3 biological material.

 Working mechanisms

With a minimum velocity of 0.38 m/s, air enters the cabinet through
the front opening. After that, it passes over the workplace and releases
from the cabinet by exhaust duct. All of the aerosols generated in the
workplace during microbiological manipulations were carried out by
stream of inward air. Then the air traps all the airborne particles and
contaminants when it passes through the filtration system, and
releases clean, decontaminated air from the cabinet. The filtration
system is made of pre-filter and a HEPA or High-Efficiency Particulate
Air filter.

2. BSC CLASS II

 Usage

The Class II Biological Safety Cabinet (BSC) are ventilated cabinet


which provide both kinds of protection of the samples and the
environment since makeup air is also HEPA-filtered. It is commonly
found in clinical and research laboratories working with infectious
agents in Risk Groups 2, 3 and 4 and if positive-pressure suits are
used or with tissue culture. Also, it is the most widely used type of
cabinet in biomedical and microbiological laboratories.
 Working Mechanism

The Class II Biosafety Cabinet has a totally distinct working


mechanism than most other biosafety cabinets. For personnel
protection, it contains an open front with inward airflow. To protect the
product from contamination it has a downward HEPA filtered laminar
airflow over the work surface. To protect the environment it has HEPA
filtered exhaust air. With a velocity of 0.38 m/s, the inward airflow
enters the cabinet through the front opening and then passes through
a supply HEPA filter. It then moves downwards over the work surface.
It "splits" about 6–18 cm from the work surface during downward, with
one half passing through the front exhaust grill and the other half
passing through the rear exhaust grill. The generated aerosols will be
captured by the downward airflow and will pass through the front or
rear exhaust grills, providing the maximum level of protection for the
product. The air is then released into the space between the supply
and exhaust filters, which are located at the cabinet's top. The supply
HEPA filter then recirculates 70% of the air within the cabinet, while the
exhaust filter releases the remaining 30% into the room environment.

3. BSC CLASS III

 Usage

Class III Biological Safety Cabinet provides a totally contained area


to protect the worker, the work and the environment and are suitable
for work at Containment Level 4. These cabinets can be used for all
four biosafety levels 1, 2, 3, and 4. But these are the most important for
the manipulation of biological materials in the Biosafety level 4. These
cabinets are mostly custom built for specific laboratories with lab
equipment built inside the chamber. All of these structural and design
features provide maximum protection to the operator, the environment,
and the sample against the high-risk group 4 pathogenic organisms. It
is an aerosol-tight enclosure with a non-opening, completely sealed.

 Working Mechanism

A Class III biosafety cabinet provides the highest level of protection


for individuals, the environment, and product protection. These are
gas-tight chambers made of welded metal, with heavy-duty rubber
glove ports in the front cabinet where the work was performed. The
supply air in Class III Biosafety cabinets is HEPA filtered, and the air is
then passed through two HEPA filters before being released. There is
a dedicated exhaust system exterior to the cabinet to maintain the
negative pressure within the cabinet interior. A double-door autoclave
is sometimes included in class III biosafety cabinets to decontaminate
the material inside.

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