Original Source: https://laboratoryquipment.blogspot.com/2020/04/use-of-filtration-glove-boxes-in.html
Filtration glove boxes are often known as the containment isolators of powder glove boxes. These are generally used to handle and weigh and packing the pharmaceutical powders. These glove boxes operate under the HEPS/ ULPA filters under an atmosphere of negative pressure. These filtration boxes are prepared with plastic made of acrylic or with stainless steel in order to make them more durable.
Features Of The Filtration Glove Boxes
- They have an inbuilt HEPA/ULPA filtration system that may either be in an open-loop or in a closed-loop.
- It is the best for handling power and has either the construction of acrylic or stainless steel.
- The modular design is under negative pressure.
The filtration glove boxes are ideal for usage in the various industries and other laboratories where a controlled inert environment is desirable. In order to control the inert gas chemistry inside a glove box, it is important that the valves must be used with the help of an inert gas that has been compressed and a kind of vacuum pump that is used to take out the gas mixture available inside and then again fill it with some inert gas. This operation is only possible when the box that is being experimented is leak-tight to every possible extent. If the system is not filtered and high airflow movement is not there and nor is their particulate control then it would not be possible. Moreover, the HEPA filtered uses a blower that pulls the good air into the chamber and then pushes it out after it is dirty with the help of the inlet/ outlet HEPA filters. These glove boxes are generally used for containing the hazardous samples. Whenever the container containing the sample is closed, there is a continuous dilution of air with the HEPA filter air inside and that cleans up the internal environment easily.
There Are Various Types Of Filtration Glove Boxes:
Filtration glove boxes 2300 series: These glove boxes have a special configuration as they act like airflow with an open loop. This system effectively controls the particulates in the laboratory. In order to control the particulate matter, an inbuilt filter like HEPA/ ULPA that are used to control the particulates. Various particulates or varying nature like the aerosols, powders, microbial contaminants, etc used in the pharmaceuticals can be caught by the filters. The HEPA/ ULPA filters help in removing the particulates from the exhaust gas and draws the waste particles with the help of a filter that is safe for consumption by the workers. The glove box can be easily configured to positive pressure in order to protect the samples against the airborne particles. The particulates have the potential to contaminate even the clean and the sterile samples so the glove boxes have been designed to isolate the clean objects or the sterile samples from the outside world. The filtered glove boxes do not however have the capability to maintain an atmosphere that is pure so these filters are unable to control the level of humidity and oxygen.
Filtration glove boxes 2400 series: This series provides an environment that has comparatively lesser humidity in order to carry out the work of nanotechnology and semiconductor industries. These are also beneficial in pharmaceutical industries. These boxes have inbuilt a negative pressure that protects the operator from the hazardous airborne particulates and powder. Positive pressure however protects the samples against the particles that are airborne. Positive pressure is an appropriate use for the applications that require such a cleanliness level. The glove box has the capability to purify the internal environment with recirculation via the HEPA/ ULPA systems. The filter helps in removing the particulate and other contaminants to provide a comparatively cleaner environment.
Other than this there are several other filters like isolation glove boxes 2500 series, stainless steel glove boxes 2800 series, vacuum glove box 2700 series, and laminar flow glove box isolator 2600 series. These are the latest technology equipped glove boxes that further have the capability to maintain a good inert environment. Most of these are in the combination with filtration systems only. The filtration system consists of the HEPA/ULPA system and hence these are coming in combination with them.
The filtration glove boxes are quite in demand these days. These are very beneficial to the semiconductor and pharmaceutical industries. These can be easily bought by the big industries depending upon their work. The inbuilt system of the HEPA/ULPA system is quite useful as it helps to remove the particulate matter that is being collected from inside and throws is outside. The particulate matter then also gets filtered and releases new and fresh air inside that is fit for human consumption and is also not harmful for the workers working inside.
