incubator.pptx

detailed about incubator

1. INCUBATOR Submittted by Abhijit padhi

2. WHAT IS INCUBATOR? An incubator, in microbiology, is an insulated and enclosed device that provides an optimal condition of temperature, humidity, and other environmental conditions required for the growth of organisms. An incubator is a piece of vital laboratory equipment necessary for cultivating microorganisms under artificial conditions. An incubator can be used to cultivate both unicellular and multicellular organisms. The first incubator for the care of premature infants was devised by Etienne Stephane Tarnier , a French obstetrician, in 1880.

3. Principle/ Working of Incubator An incubator is based on the principle that microorganisms require a particular set of parameters for their growth and development. All incubators are based on the concept that when organisms are provided with the optimal condition of temperature, humidity, oxygen, and carbon dioxide levels, they grow and divide to form more organisms. In an incubator, the thermostat maintains a constant temperature that can be read from the outside via the thermometer. The temperature is maintained by utilizing the heating and no-heating cycles. During the heating cycle, the thermostat heats the incubator, and during the no-heating period, the heating is stopped, and the incubator is cooled by radiating heat to the surrounding.

4. Parts of Laboratory Incubator Cabenet Door Control panel Asbestos Door Gasket Perforated shelves Thermostat L-shaped Thermometer HEPA filters Humidity and gas controllers

5. Parsts and components of incubator cabinet The basic body of the incubator is the cabinet, composed of a double-walled cubical container with a volume range of 20 to 800L. The outer wall is constructed out of stainless - steel sheets, and the inside wall is constructed out of aluminum. The inside wall of the incubator has inward extensions that hold up the shelves. door The door that seals the insulated cabinet is a standard feature on all incubators. The door itself is insulated. Additionally, it incorporates a glass pane that permits visual inspection of the incubator’s interior while incubating without disturbing the environment. There is a handle on the door’s exterior to help with door maneuvering.

6. Control Panel The outer wall of the incubator is covered with a control panel that has all the switches and indicators needed to control the incubator’s parameters. A switch on the control panel also operates the device’s thermostat. Asbestos Door Gasket The asbestos door gasket forms a nearly airtight barrier between the door and the cabinet. This seal guard against damage to the cabinet. It keeps outside air from entering the cabinet, creating an enclosed, hot atmosphere that is not influenced by environmental variables. Perforated shelves The internal wall has some perforated shelves connected, and the plates carrying the cultural media are placed there. Some incubators have shelves that can be removed so they may be properly cleaned. Hot air can freely circulate throughout the incubator thanks to perforations on the shelves.

7. Thermostat A thermostat regulates the temperature of the incubator. The incubator is maintained at the set temperature once it has been reached by the thermostat until the temperature is changed once more. L-shaped Thermometer The outer wall of the incubator is where the thermometer is mounted. One end of the gradation-equipped thermometer is left outside the incubator to make it simple to read the temperature. HEPA filters Some modern incubators come with HEPA filters to lessen the chance of contamination from airflow. A closed-loop system created by an air pump with filters lowers pollution in the air circulating inside the incubator. Humidity and gas controllers A water reservoir is located beneath the chamber of the CO 2  incubators. The water is evaporated in order to maintain the relative humidity inside the chamber. Similarly to that, gas chambers are incorporated into these incubators to give the proper CO 2  concentration within.

8. Types of incubator

9. Cooled /Refrigerated incubator An internal refrigeration system is present in the cooled or refrigerated incubator. Temperatures below the outside air temperature are provided by these. The air circulation fans in the cooled incubators supply the chamber with fresh air while providing accurate temperature control. Additionally, it features various sensors that track the temperature. Shaking incubator An agitation or shaking process is required to integrate oxygen and distribute nutrients uniformly throughout the culture media in order to create the best conditions for cell growth. Incubator shakers, which combine those activities for a more practical and effective setup, are sometimes used to accomplish that by inserting a separate shaker within an incubator. Any sort of cell growth, including bacterial cultures, tissue cultures, and yeast, can be accomplished with the incubator shaker. Portable incubator Portable incubators enable microbiological testing in remote locations and in settings with limited resources, and they can remove the difficulty of sample transportation, reducing the possibility of sample deterioration.

10. Benchtop incubator The temperature varies from the surrounding air to 100°C. The majority of these incubators contain alarms, a glass door, and a display screen with the temperature and the time. CO 2  incubator In life science labs, airtight, climate-controlled CO 2  incubators are used to produce biological cell cultures. They must preserve the same conditions as those found inside the human body i.e. 98.6°F (37°C), > 90% relative humidity & neutral pH 7.4. BOD incubator These incubators are frequently referred to as low-temperature incubators because yeast and molds need a low temperature for growth.  It is named as Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) incubators since a low temperature of 20-25˚C is also required for biological oxygen demand testing. Several other types of incubators are as follows: Light incubator The primary purpose of the light incubator is to replicate the growth conditions of developing seeds, plants, etc.: photostability testing of materials, food, medicine, and cosmetics. The light incubator promotes plant growth and strengthens disease resistance. 

11. Anaerobic incubator  It can be used to maintain and operate bacteria in an atmosphere devoid of oxygen. The most challenging anaerobic organisms to grow can be grown, and it eliminates the risk of anaerobic organisms dying from oxygen exposure while working in the atmosphere. Constant temperature and humidity incubator The precise temperature and humidity control system in the constant temperature and humidity incubator creates a variety of environmental simulation conditions needed for industrial research and biotechnology testing. Based on design, these are classified as an analog incubator and digital incubator. Analog Incubator The simplest form of incubator is an analog one. It is inexpensive and simple to use. The precision of the analog incubator is lower than that of the digital incubator. There isn’t any other display board, either. As a result, it does not allow an individual to view the inside chamber’s actual temperature. Digital incubator It is pretty expensive. It is simple to use, though. Better accuracy can be found in it. Similar to that, it has a display board that enables users to view the real temperature of the inside chamber.

12. Calibration and validation of incubator Calibration and validation of incubator are important procedures to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the incubator’s performance. Calibration is the process of adjusting the incubator’s settings to match a reference standard, such as a thermometer or a hygrometer. Validation is the process of verifying that the incubator meets the specified requirements and criteria, such as temperature, humidity, and CO2 levels. The frequency and method of calibration and validation may vary depending on the type, model, and usage of the incubator. However, some general steps and best practices are: Transfer the samples or cultures to another incubator before starting the calibration or validation process. Use calibrated instruments or devices, such as data loggers, thermocouples, or sensors, to measure the incubator’s parameters. Check the traceability certificates of the calibration devices used.

13. Open the validation port of the incubator and insert the external sensors into the chamber. Tightly close the validation port of the chamber. Place the sensors at different locations inside the chamber, covering the corners, center, and near the incubator’s sensor. Refer to the loading diagram or the manufacturer’s instructions for the optimal placement of the sensors. Set the desired temperature, humidity, and CO2 levels on the incubator’s control panel. Allow the incubator to stabilize after the insertion of the sensors. Record the readings from the sensors for a specified period of time, such as 24 hours. Compare the readings with the reference values and the incubator’s display. Calculate the mean, standard deviation, and uniformity of the readings. Check if the readings are within the acceptable range and tolerance. Perform the calibration or validation at regular intervals, such as monthly, quarterly, or annually, or as per the manufacturer’s recommendations or the regulatory guidelines. Document the results and observations of the calibration or validation process. Report any deviations or issues and take corrective actions if needed.

14. Uses of Incubator Incubators are used to grow microbial culture or cell cultures. Incubators can also be used to maintain the culture of organisms to be used later. Some incubators are used to increase the growth rate of organisms, having a prolonged growth rate in the natural environment. Specific incubators are used for the reproduction of microbial colonies and subsequent determination of biochemical oxygen demand. These are also used for breeding of insects and hatching of eggs in zoology. Incubators also provide a controlled condition for sample storage before they can be processed in the laboratories

15. Precautions As microorganisms are susceptible to temperature change, the fluctuations in temperature of the cabinet by repeatedly opening the door should be avoided. The required parameters growth of the organism should be met before the culture plates are placed inside the cabinet. The plates should be placed upside down with the lid at the bottom to prevent the condensation of water on to the media. The inside of the incubators should be cleaned regularly to prevent the organisms from settling on the shelves or the corners of the incubator.

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