Laboratories take many forms, providing controlled conditions to conduct scientific research for all industries that are required to ensure quality and safety. While laboratories differ in the techniques used and the set of procedures followed, each must comply with the Good Laboratory Practices. Environmental monitoring in the laboratory is essential to meeting compliance considering temperature, humidity and pressure can significantly influence results, efficiency and accuracy.
Laboratories are notoriously clean, but that doesn’t happen by chance. A lot of work is put into creating and maintaining a safe, clean space for conducting various experiments. But it all leads back to environmental monitoring, which directly affects test results, the cleanliness of instruments and the safety of researchers.
Autoclaves are a common appliance in laboratories for sterilizing and disinfecting laboratory equipment. Through high-pressure steam, autoclaves kill bacteria, spores and germs. However, without validation, one cannot assume that an autoclave is working properly. To not routinely validate an autoclave would not only put people at risk, but it would also deem products a hazard.
Data loggers are used to map the temperature and pressure inside the chamber of an autoclave and validate sterilization cycles. To ensure accuracy, MadgeTech data loggers are built to withstand the harsh environments associated with a variety of sterilization methods, even those involving chemical agents.
The HiTemp140 and PRTemp140 easily fit into autoclaves to monitor each sterilization cycle. The recorded data can then be uploaded into the MadgeTech Software for creating reports to prove compliance with federal regulations.
The HVAC system is the center of activity in a laboratory providing heating, cooling and ventilation throughout a facility. Properly maintained HVAC systems ensure a safe laboratory while providing significant energy savings.
According to Interiors and Sources, laboratory equipment consumes about one-seventh of a lab’s energy bill and all that energy dissipates as heat that must be removed by the HVAC system. If the flow rate of a fume hood exceeds its need for cooling air, it will cost more to reheat the facility. Whereas, a high-performance fume hood could reduce energy consumption by 50%.
Wireless data loggers are ideal for continuously monitoring areas in a facility where materials are staged, prepared or stored. The slightest deviation from set temperature or humidity ranges could pose a hazard or render the material useless. MadgeTech wireless data logger provide real-time monitoring and configurable alarm notifications, giving the users the ability to immediate control of unwanted conditions.
Laboratory testing plays a crucial role in detecting errors in order to improve quality and achieve the best results. With that said, testing must be as accurate as possible to ensure reliability. Inaccurate results could lead to serious consequences.
With the ability to monitor a variety of environmental parameters, data loggers can verify whether the equipment used for testing is working properly or if the product itself is performing as it should. Regardless of the testing being conducted, MadgeTech data loggers are essential for laboratory monitoring, ensuring operations are accurate, reliable and efficient.