1. General Laboratory Equipment
Lesson 1-6
General Laboratory Equipment

2. Overview Labware Common laboratory equipment Safety Quality assessment
Glassware
Plasticware
Common laboratory equipment
Safety
Quality assessment
Equipment maintenance
Recordkeeping

3. Labware Various shapes, sizes, and purposes Store reagents
Prepare reagents
Use in test procedures
Disposable versus reusable

4. Composition of “Labware”
Glass
Flint
Borosilicate
Quartz

5. Composition of “Labware”
Plastic
Polyethylene
Polystyrene
Polypropylene

6. Types of Labware
Bottles
Test tubes
Beakers
Graduated cylinders
Flasks

7. Test Tubes
Test tubes
Hold small volumes
Most only estimate volumes

8. Beakers
Estimate volumes
Mix solutions
Noncritical measurements

9. Graduated Cylinders
Many sizes
Read volume at meniscus

10. Flasks Erlenmeyer Volumetric Noncritical measurements
Read meniscus

11. Flasks

12. Safety Follow manufacturer’s instructions and laboratory SOP manual
Potential hazards
Exposure to blood or other possible infectious material (OPIM)
Electrical hazards
Hazardous reagents
Moving parts in instruments

13. Quality Assessment (QA)
Procedure manual
Equipment maintenance program
Documentation required
Record service/repair
Performance checks
Temperatures
Calibration

14. Centrifuges Types Clinical Microcentrifuge Serological Refrigerated
Ultra

15. Centrifuges Safety Use approved tubes Balance rotor Keep tubes capped
Open after completely
stopped
Clean spills

16. Centrifuges
Balance tubes in rotor

17. Centrifuges
Quality assessment
Verify speed
Verify timer

18. Autoclaves Sterilize/decontaminate Safety Quality assessment
Pressurized steam
121°C, 15–20 min, 15 psi
Safety
Burn/scald hazard
Quality assessment
Regular maintenance
Performance - Indicator strips

19. Autoclaves

20. Balances Types Top load Cabinet Different sensitivities
Different capacities

21. Balances Safety Quality assessment No jarring No drafts Calibrate
Observe limits

22. pH Measurement pH meter pH paper Safety Quality assessmemt
Measures H+ ion concentration
Electrodes
pH paper
Safety
Quality assessmemt

23. pH Measurement

24. Temperature Controlled Chambers
Types
Incubators
Refrigerators
Freezers
Waterbaths
See Table 1-24

25. Temperature Control Chambers
Safety
No food
Quality assessment
Calibrated thermometers
Records
Backup power
This project was funded at $3,000,000 (100% of its total cost) from a grant awarded under the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grants, as implemented by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. Rogue Community College is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services, alternate form and language services are available to individuals with disabilities and limited English proficiency free of cost upon request.
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