Cleaver creates cabinet-sized cleanroom environment
Specialist manufacturer Cleaver Scientific has developed a cabinet that offers lab users the benefits of a cleanroom environment on reduced scale.
The uvCAB sterilisation cabinets from Cleaver Scientific are designed to bring the advantages of a safe, nucleic acid-free environment, similar to having a ‘mini’ cleanroom within the laboratory. These cabinets provide a compact, low-cost and easily accessible area for setting-up polymerase chain reactions (PCR), whilst minimising the potential for PCR reaction contamination.
The cabinets have UV lights, which denature nucleic acids in five to 30 minutes, making them unsuitable for amplification and contamination of PCR reactions. These lights are timer controlled and there are safety switches on the cabinet doors, which automatically turn-off the UV lights when opened to prevent user exposure to UV light.
The cabinets also act as a shield against beta radioactive emissions and can therefore be safely used with isotopes, such as 32P. For added visibility when working inside the cabinets, there is a white light.
uvCAB cabinets are available in the Maxi 660 x 560 x 420mm (H x W x D) model. This model offers a large working space that is suited to storing PCR reactions along with the pipettes, racks and other equipment. For laboratories where space and budgets are particularly limited, the Mini Cabinet is ideal. It measures just 400 x 560 x 350mm (H x W x D) and contains two timer controlled UV bulbs.