Laboratory Incubators

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Laboratory Incubators

Why are Incubators Important in a Laboratory Setting?

Incubators are essential equipment in laboratories for maintaining controlled environment conditions necessary for the growth and cultivation of a variety of biological samples, cells, microorganisms, and tissues. Other important features of laboratory incubators include:

• Controlled Temperature: Incubators provide stable and precisely controlled temperatures. This controlled temperature is vital for the growth and replication of biological samples, like bacteria, yeast, cells, and tissues.
• Sterility: Laboratory incubators often feature HEPA or UV sterilization systems to keep a secure environment within the chamber. This prevents contamination from airborne particles, bacteria, and fungi, ensuring the integrity of experimental results.
• Optimal Growth Conditions: Many biological samples need specific environmental conditions for optimal growth and proliferation. Laboratory incubators allow research staff to create and maintain these conditions, fostering consistent growth and producing accurate experimental results.
• Versatility: Laboratory incubators come in various sizes and configurations to accommodate different types of sample volumes and experiments. They can be used for an array of applications, including tissue culture, cell biology, microbiology, and molecular biology.
• Long-Term Storage: Along with supporting active cell culture experiments, laboratory incubators can also be used for long-term storage of cell lines, microorganisms, and other biological samples.

Where is the Best Place to Put a Laboratory Incubator?

A laboratory incubator should be in an area that is free from major temperature fluctuations and away from direct sunlight. It should also be placed away from windows, doors, or heating/cooling vents, as these can affect temperature stability. Ideally, the laboratory incubator is placed on a sturdy table or desk easily accessible to lab personnel, with enough space around it for easy access to controls, shelves, and specimen or sample loading/unloading. If possible, the incubator should be plugged directly into an electrical outlet without the use of an extension cord.

What is the Temperature Range of a Laboratory Incubator?

Laboratory incubators normally offer a temperature range between ambient temperature – around 20°C – and approximately 70°C. However, some specialized or custom models may have a wider or narrower range depending on the intended application. Whether it’s a heated or cooled laboratory incubator, it’s important to choose an incubator with a temperature range suitable for the specific uses and experiments performed in a laboratory setting.