Do Your Work Cleanly With Gloveboxes

The use of gloveboxes in the life sciences, especially in laboratories that are housed in academic institutions, government institutions, biotechnology companies, and pharmaceutical companies, is discussed. A filter inside the box handles removal of particulates and some of the most common filters include a HEPA-filtered glovebox, the Protector® from Labconco. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that sterilization of the box be confirmed by taking hundreds of swab samples that, when processed, show no growth of any microorganism in an incubator. A class III or biosafety cabinet for life science laboratories is a glovebox for containment of the deadliest organisms known to mankind, for example hanta virus. Box design must accommodate the need for frequent sterilization. Rounded corners can minimize any possibility for cracks or crevices where germs could colonize, thus helping to maintain sterility.