Centrifuge tubes are large vessels with a closed interior that is used for containing liquids during analytical studies on a variety of materials. They are typically designed to fit perfectly into a centrifuge, a long metal tube that rotates at high speeds inside a lab instrument to produce the separation of various substances in the sample. These devices can be used for many different types of studies in microbiology, chemistry, biochemistry and even biology. 250ml centrifuge tubes are commonly seen in laboratories everywhere. There are many applications in which they are used, but some applications are more common than others. The most common applications are described below.
Separation of Micro Substances At High Speed
Many microbiology laboratories use a variety of laboratory centrifuges to separate cells from tissue, amino solutions from bacteria and other molecules, and DNA from various chemicals and proteins. Because some centrifuges are specialized and cannot be adapted for certain studies, such as those done in biochemistry, microbiology, molecular biology, or chemistry, they are often purchased pre-assembled, with the option of adding other components, accessories and additional fluids required by the specific application.
Separation of Solids, Liquids, and Gases
Another common use of the laboratory centrifuge is for the separation of solids from liquids (Lab Manager, 2019). This is most commonly seen in the field of microbiology where most clinical laboratory tests are performed on microorganisms. Often, tests need to be performed on multiple samples of a material in order to determine the concentration of infection, drug, or another substance. When single samples are tested, several methods must be used in order to determine the concentration of each contaminant. Using laboratory centrifuge tubes allows one tube to separate the desired amount of material while leaving the remaining materials with the remaining liquid. 500ml centrifuge tubes are used for such experiments usually.
The primary components of most centrifuges are motor and rotor. The motor is spun in the housing in an enclosed centrifuge tube. The speed at which the motor spins causes the molecules to be separated. The solid particles are usually made of various substances, whereas the liquids are usually comprised of proteins, salts or sugars. The size of the particle depends on the type of particle and how much needs to be separated.
Motorized Centrifuges
The motorized versions of these devices are also available. These are commonly seen in medical laboratories. The motorized version can vary in size from very small up to about 100 gallons capacity. The motorization units inside most centrifuge tubes have separate channels that run parallel to the housing and an attached motor. A number of different speed and operational options are available on these units so that different sized experiments can be performed with almost no effort.
Many different types of liquids can be processed through centrifuges. The tubes themselves can be designed for a specific application and the end results can be exceptional. Some examples of applications of centrifuge tubes in the medical field are enzyme reactions, protein precipitation and separation, lectin precipitation and adsorption, binder precipitation, immunoglobulin complex, sera production, serum separation and solubility, and more.
Food Industry Usage
Many different industries use centrifuge tubes in their operations. In the food processing industry for example, it is common to see a wide variety of different sizes and functions of centrifuge tubes. These vary depending on the size of a particular machine and the type of operation. Depending on the type of medium being processed, processes may need to move faster or slower.
Centrifuge tube uses are only a few of the many different ways that these machines can be used and abused. Many industries and laboratories have seen the misuse of centrifuges on a massive scale. Because of this, there are many strict guidelines that must be followed when it comes to the proper use and maintenance of these machines. Any abuse or breach of these guidelines can prove to be extremely dangerous and even fatal. For this reason, it is very important that any individual who has one of these tubes does all that they can to properly care for the equipment.
Bibliography
Lab Manager. (2019, July 18). The Basics of Centrifuge Operation and Maintenance. Retrieved from Lab Manager Web site: https://www.labmanager.com/product-focus/the-basics-of-centrifuge-operation-and-maintenance-1433
