Provided is a safety cabinet that, when multiple different kinds of pathogens or the like are handled in the same safety cabinet, can prevent previously-handled pathogens or the like from being commingled with pathogens or the like to be subsequently handled after cleaning and disinfection. The safety cabinet includes a work opening in the front face of a work space and supplies clean air to the work space from above, wherein the safety cabinet is provided with the following: a rear air inlet formed in the back surface lower part or in the bottom rear side of the work space; a front air inlet formed in the bottom front side of the work space; and a work table air inlet formed in a work surface, between the rear air inlet and the front air inlet, and parallel to the front air inlet and/or the rear air inlet.

Contamination detection systems, kits, and techniques are described for testing surfaces for the presence of hazardous contaminants, while minimizing user exposure to these contaminants. Even trace amounts of contaminants can be detected. A collection kit provides a swab that is simple to use, easy to hold and grip, allows the user to swab large areas of a surface, and keeps the user's hands away from the surface being tested. The kit also provides open and closed fluid transfer mechanism to transfer the collected fluid to a detection device while minimizing user exposure to hazardous contaminants in the collected fluid. Contamination detection kits can rapidly collect and detect hazardous drugs, including trace amounts of antineoplastic agents, in healthcare settings at the site of contamination.

Contamination detection systems, kits, and techniques are described for testing surfaces for the presence of hazardous contaminants, while minimizing user exposure to these contaminants. Even trace amounts of contaminants can be detected. A collection kit provides a swab that is simple to use, easy to hold and grip, allows the user to swab large areas of a surface, and keeps the user's hands away from the surface being tested. The kit also provides open and closed fluid transfer mechanism to transfer the collected fluid to a detection device while minimizing user exposure to hazardous contaminants in the collected fluid. Contamination detection kits can rapidly collect and detect hazardous drugs, including trace amounts of antineoplastic agents, in healthcare settings at the site of contamination.

Sampling systems and techniques that increase pickup efficiency and shedding efficiency of an analyst of interest collected from a surface are provided. In one aspect, an absorbent swab collects an analyte of interest, such as a hazardous contaminant, from a test area demarcated by a template. The sampling techniques can include swab speed and force protocols specifying how fast and how hard the user should apply the swab across the surface to improve pickup efficiency. The sampling techniques can include instructions for inverting a container enclosing the swab and collected contaminant to improve shedding efficiency from the swab.

A flow cell including inlet and outlet ports in fluid communication with each other through a flow channel that extends therebetween. The flow channel includes a diffuser region and a field region that is located downstream from the diffuser region. The field region of the flow channel directs fluid along reaction sites where desired reactions occur. The fluid flows through the diffuser region in a first flow direction and through the field region in a second flow direction. The first and second flow directions being substantially perpendicular.

A single disposable cartridge for performing a process on a particle, such as particle sorting, encapsulates all fluid contact surfaces in the cartridge for use with microfluidic particle processing technology. The cartridge interfaces with an operating system for effecting particle processing. The encapsulation of the fluid contact surfaces insures, improves or promotes operator isolation and/or product isolation. The cartridge may employ any suitable technique for processing particles.

An isolator comprises a manipulation chamber isolated from the external atmosphere, a door for opening and closing a portal formed on the manipulation chamber, a linear guide mechanism for guiding a linear motion of a front-side edge of the door along the portal, and a rotation guide mechanism defining a rotation of the door about an axis coinciding with the front-side edge. The door is closed by positioning the front-side edge at the front side of the manipulation chamber, and the door is opened inward into the manipulation chamber by moving the front-side edge toward the back side while rotating the door about the front-side edge.

A safety cabinet includes an enclosure and at least one door to selectively seal the enclosure. The safety cabinet can be used to store, for example, flammable liquids, flammable waste, corrosives, pesticides, or combustible waste. The safety cabinet incorporates a thermally-actuated damper that includes a body, a valve plate, and a pivot assembly. The valve plate is disposed within the passage of the body such that the valve plate is movable between an open position and a closed position. The pivot assembly includes a biasing system adapted to bias the valve plate to the closed position and a fusible link interconnected between the body and the biasing system to constrain the valve plate from moving from the open position to the closed position. The fusible link is configured to melt at a predetermined temperature to thereby allow the biasing system to move the valve plate to the closed position.

An inertion funnel includes a hollow ring with an attachment point on an outside edge and a plurality of output apertures on the inside edge allows for an even flow of gas around the circumference of the ring and through the output apertures into a filter funnel below. The attachment point allows the attachment of a hose or other fitting through which gas flows into the hollow ring, which rests above and around the opening of the filter funnel. On the inside of the ring, an angled downward opening allows gas to flow out of the ring and into the filter funnel. Uniformly distributed around the opening are vanes that direct the flow of gas from the ring into the filter funnel below.

A microbiology waste containment apparatus and method are provided to prevent toxic slide staining chemicals from being dumped down a drain during slide staining and thus entering publicly owned water treatment works. A primary containment vessel is provided having side walls and an open top area, and a funnel is provided in communication with the open top area. A secondary containment vessel is in fluid communication with the funnel. When microbiology waste is generated above the open top area, the microbiology waste is collected by the funnel and conducted to the secondary containment vessel. The secondary vessel may be disposed internally to the primary vessel, or it may be external to the primary vessel. In the case of the internal secondary vessel, the entire apparatus may be portable and thus appropriate for field or military work.