When working with fungi, ensuring a sterile environment is crucial to prevent contamination and obtain accurate results. One indispensable tool for many of your tasks is the horizontal laminar flow hood or flow cabinet. You may have heard the name before, but what exactly is a flow hood? And what can you do with it?
What is a Laminar Flow Hood?
A laminar flow hood is a device that creates a controlled and sterile environment for working with microorganisms, including fungi. These cabinets draw air through multiple special filters to create a stream of clean, filtered air that moves from back to front over the work area. This creates a barrier that prevents external particles and microorganisms from entering the work area, thus ensuring a sterile environment.
Is Disinfecting with Alcohol Not Enough?
Isopropyl alcohol is the fastest and safest way to eliminate fungi and bacteria. While it does sterilize your work surface, it does not sterilize your working environment. Without a flow hood, your work surface quickly becomes non-sterile again. Only when you turn on the flow hood and then (with latex gloves on!) clean the work surface with isopropyl alcohol can you speak of a sterile environment. Also, don't forget to wear a face mask for both your own safety and to keep your work area clean.
How a Horizontal Flow Hood Works
A horizontal laminar flow cabinet contains filters that purify the air before it reaches the work area. The most common filters are HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters, which remove small particles and microorganisms from the air, allowing only clean air to reach the work area. Our ToshiFarm Laminar Flow Hood is equipped with a pre-filter and a high-quality HEPA H14 filter. This filter belongs to the highest level of HEPA air filtration and is considered medical grade; it purifies 99.995% of particles from the air!
The air is drawn through the pre-filter by a motor and forced through the H14 HEPA filter. The filtered air then flows horizontally over the work area, creating a barrier of clean air over the work area. This is called a Laminar Flow, which differs from the airflow that comes from a regular fan.
The work area within the horizontal flow hood is continuously flushed with clean air, maintaining a sterile environment. Because only the area in front of the filter contains clean air, our flow hood is 120cm wide, ensuring you never accidentally work outside your sterile area.