Benchtop Hood- An Aid To Safer Ventilation

1. Benchtop Hood- An Aid To Safer Ventilation Benchtop hoods are specifically fume hoods designed to aid in advanced ventilation in laboratory or industrial areas. The main aim of these benchtop hoods is to vent out the toxic fumes or hazardous air that is emitted while working in a laboratory or industry. A benchtop hood is often called a benchtop fume hood, considering the primary purpose of a hood. These benchtop hoods are widely found in laboratories where experiments with different chemicals are performed. These fume hoods provide incredible protection to the user against harmful fumes like carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, and other toxic fumes. When it comes to categories of fume hoods, there are two main types- the ducted and the ductless ones. Both of the varieties provide equal protection. However, the ductless range is much advanced. The elementary difference between the two is that the ducted one collects the polluted air from the workstation and disperses it outside with the help of fitted ducts. In contrast to it, the ductless ones can efficiently manage in the toxic air and run it through the high-efficiency filters fitted on it. The treated air is then again circulated inside the workroom. This recirculation of air becomes possible only when the ductless fume hoods are equipped with advanced HEPA or ULPA filters. These filters are efficient in removing toxic constituents from the air and particulate matters, which are as small as 0.3 microns in size. Many fume hoods also come with activated charcoal filters, which also act as a super-efficient filter in separating pollutants from the workstation room. The ductless fume hoods with HEPA or ULPA offer a higher CFM capacity and portability than the ducted ones. The width options, design, and configuration differ profoundly among different Benchtop Hood and requirements of the user. The most frequently used benchtop hoods in laboratories Among the laboratory fume hoods, the most commonly used are seen in tissue culture labs, microbiology labs, and molecular biology labs. All of these fume hoods are benchtop types and offer extreme protection and reliable ambiance to work with sensitive samples and pathogens. In biological laboratories, having a fume hood is more than just necessary. Biological or chemical experiments involve the emission of highly poisonous fumes or hazardous contaminants in the air. Thus, it is very critical for the user to remain safe and protected while working. A similar scenario prevails in industrial blocks as well. Laminar Flow cabinet- This benchtop hood is also termed as tissue culture hood, due to the purpose of use. This device is carefully designed as a benchtop model and prevents contamination in the working area. It provides up to 95% of contamination-free ambiance in the working space. Laminar fume hoods are equipped with high-efficiency HEPA filters, via

2. which air is smoothly drawn inside and then treated in the filters. The HEPA treated air is then evenly blown out of the hood in a laminar flow. However, the direction of the flow of this treated air imparts protection only to the sample, not the user. Vented balance safety enclosures- This category of chemical fume hood is chiefly used in chemical, biological, toxicological, and pharmaceutical laboratories. It aims to provide maximum decontamination while weighing activities in this device. Besides giving a decontaminated weighing environment, it also protects the sample from contaminants. These vented balance units are small and convenient in size, usually fit for benchtop placements. Biosafety cabinets- This device is another pattern of microbiological safety cabinet, which is an ideal benchtop hood setup. It offers a ventilated, enclosed and purified workspace, to deal with sensitive materials and contaminated pathogens. It helps maintain personal safety whole dealing with such hazardous materials from such high proximity. It also contains high- efficiency HEPA filters, which work effectively in removing toxic elements from the air and refine it, releasing filtered and safe atmosphere. When it comes to laboratory fume hoods, there are quite a few generations of the invention. Depending on the flow of inwardly drawn air, there are few categories of fume hoods. Constant air volume (CAV) hoods- This category of fume hood pulls in a constant volume of air at a continuous pace and continues filtering it. CAV can be either bypass type or non- bypass type, depending on the velocity frequencies of air drawn in. Reduced air volume (RAV) hoods- This variety of fume hood is an alternative to high performance and low-flow fume hoods. The primary aim of these varieties is to reduce the flow of air inside the fume hood and conserve energy. Variable air volume (VAV) hoods- This is one of the newest generation fume hoods, that imparts a strict control over the air exhausted in the room while keeping a constant in-flow volume of air set at a level. Despite being much more costlier than conventional fume hoods, these benchtop hood varieties are highly efficient and conserve energy. All the categories mentioned above are types of ducted fume hoods that are of benchtop models. However, there are plenty of other ductless models, which can have similar benchtop placements.