Gloveboxes and Isolators

Gloveboxes and isolators are used to contain hazardous substances or materials that must not come in contact with the outside environment. Gloveboxes and isolators are used for both protecting personnel and protecting the isolator product by maintaining secure containment fields. These fields are necessary for handling hazardous material including radioactive or toxic compounds.

Gloveboxes and isolators are typically airtight containers that can also provide sterile environments that are oxygen-controlled and moisture-controlled. They have specially-sealed ports that are fitted with gloves allowing operators to manipulate the objects and substances inside the isolator. The glove ports can come in round or oval shapes and are fitted with cuff rings to seal the port from the outside environment. Gloveboxes and isolators can also come with iris ports, which are self-sealing silicone ports that seal tightly around the operator’s bare hands and arms. These ports enable operators to work with small or delicate materials that are difficult to handle with gloves.

Because the atmosphere can be carefully controlled, a glovebox can be used for many kinds of research and medical applications, such as DNA sequencing, producing antibiotics from cell cultures, purifying compounds such as enzymes, and preparing tissue cultures. A glovebox workstation may also be used in certain specialty manufacturing applications, such as laser welding, coating medical devices such as pacemakers and stents, and producing nano components.

Gloveboxes and isolators use gloves and gauntlets designed to function in a hazardous environment. The gloves can be made of specially-treated rubber, neoprene, polyurethane, and other materials depending on the application. The gloves may also be treated with electrostatic powder to minimize static electricity. Gloveboxes and isolators also come with optional features depending on the materials being handled in the containment isolator, such as microprocessor controllers, carbon or HEPA filters, cryogenic traps, gas purifiers, vacuum pumps, and even closed circuit television to monitor experiments.

• Handling Highly Active Ingredients
  This quick, one-time registration gives you access to members-only site benefits. Photo courtesy of Glatt Air. By Angelo De Palma, Ph.D., Contributing Editor Containment systems which protect workers...
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