Essential Equipment for an Academic Lab
Academic labs are vital to improving the wellbeing of society by conducting groundbreaking research. In fact, the demand for such labs and research has grown along with population growth throughout the nation. This means more academic labs are popping up or old labs are getting revamps to improve their technology. If your lab is getting an update, equip your team with the right tools. Continue reading to ensure you’re getting all the essential equipment for an academic lab.
All the consumables
Every lab goes through several items that are either single-use or can only be used a few times. A few of these common consumables include pipettes, chemical test strips, specimen bottles, funnels, cotton swabs, sample bags, and more. Additionally, you should always have a few extra lab staples, such as glass test tubes and microscope slides, since they can accidentally be broken.
Personal protective equipment
Depending on what your lab primarily does, you may be at a higher risk than other labs. For instance, some labs work with hazardous chemicals and substances that could cause serious injury if the substance got on someone’s skin or was inhaled. That said, every lab should at least have nitrile, latex, and vinyl gloves, goggles, and aprons or lab coats. If your lab handles hazardous materials, you may even need respirators, face masks, and face shields. Furthermore, every lab must abide by safety regulations instigated by OSHA and other regulators. That said, your lab must have access to both eyewash stations and safety showers.
Universal lab equipment
Regardless of your lab’s primary focus, every lab needs a few universal items. For instance, the lab should have microscopes, scales, refrigerators, freezers, shakers, stirrers, and more. Of course, this list only scratches the surface of all the equipment available. You’ll have to analyze your current inventory and identify the primary work your lab does to find out what else you may need.
Analytical instruments
With all the innovation in scientific research came an arsenal of complex scientific tools and methods such as several variations of chromatography including gas, high-performance liquid, and more. In addition, some labs may need mass spectrometers to assist in their research. However, most labs will have a gas chromatography machine because they’re so versatile for research. An important factor of the longevity of analytical instruments is proper maintenance, so make sure you know how to maintain your chromatography system.
Whether your academic lab is for education purposes, research, or both, you need to equip the lab appropriately. With this guide to essential equipment for an academic lab, you should be well on your way to a great lab.
