laboratory Archives - Total Lab Supplies

Total Lab Supplies offer a wide range of hotplates and hotplate/stirrers. The Stuart range is well known in laboratories and they offer some good advice on the operation of these units.

Do not use hotplates to heat inflammable liquids.
Never lift or carry a hotplate until it has been switched off and allowed to cool for at least 30 minutes. A hot warning light will give guidance.
A hotplate should be carried using both hands with the fingers under the side edges.
Never move or carry a unit with containers on the top plate or while still connected to the mains supply.
There is a danger of liquid spillage if containers are over-filled and stirred at high speed. Always build stirrer speed slowly and never stir more rapidly than necessary
NEVER place a cold glass vessel onto a hotplate which is already hot.

When using a ceramic hotplates like the Stuart UC152 at temperatures over 180ºC, the base of any equipment used must not make contact with the ceramic plate outside the Hot Zone or heated plate area.

The use of a Stuart SCT1 temperature controller allows accurate temperature control of aqueous and oil based samples in the laboratory and can be used in two different modes, as a precise temperature controller from 20 to 200°C or as a digital thermometer from -4 to 325°C.

Care when preparing media

Take particular care when heating liquids having a high viscosity. Viscous liquids can act as thermal insulators and can cause thermal breakage of the glassware. This is very important with media solutions as the viscosity will usually increase as the temperature rises.

Check that the stirring action is sufficient to agitate the whole of the liquid. Unstirred areas in the liquid can result in uneven heat transfer and “hot spots” in the glassware. This can induce thermal stress and so cause failure.
Check the stirring action regularly to ensure that it remains adequate as the viscosity of the solution increases.
Always use the largest magnetic follower possible and if necessary, use a mechanical overhead stirrer.
Do not use glass vessels with thick walls, e.g. Pyrex Heavy Duty Ware or standard beakers and flasks having capacities of 5 litres or greater.
NEVER heat glass bottles on a hotplate.
Ensure that the heat is built up slowly to avoid localised overheating.
Ensure the glassware is completely free from scratches or other defects.
Place the hotplate in a tray large enough to contain the liquid in the event of glassware failure.
Wear the appropriate safety clothing e.g. gloves, goggles, protective apron etc.

Following these guidelines using a stirrer/hotplate should ensure trouble free use.

For all your hotplate/stirrer needs please get in touch.

The post Hotplate Safety appeared first on Total Lab Supplies.

Save Money on Labcold Refrigeration

Sysadmin — Mon, 03 Sep 2018 10:24:04 +0000

SAVE 25%

The Labcold laboratory range of refrigerators and freezers has been designed and developed to meet the demands of scientific and medical professionals.

Now is the time to save money on a range of their Spark Free refrigeration items. Check out our flyer detailing a select range of models of Spark-Free fridges and freezers including larger capacity chest freezers.

Labcold Sparkfree fridges are engineered for laboratory safety. All possible sources of ignition, such as the thermostat are removed from the inside of the fridge so there is no spark internally that could ignite flammable substances or vapours.

For extra security, all Labcold Sparkfree refrigerators come complete with a lock to prevent unauthorised access and feature high and low and door open audio and visual alarms.

As an example, the model RLPR1514 is a 400L Spark Free Fridge featuring:-

Sparkfree safety interior
Manual defrost
6 shelves
Door Lock
Temperature alarm and display
High/Low temperature alarm
Min/Max recording
Door Open alarm
2 Year parts and labour warranty (UK only)

Normal list price is £1440.00. With the 25% discount the price comes down to £1080.00

Other examples

RLPR0517 – 150L fridge, normally £650. With the offer only £487.50

RLCF1520 – 447L chest freezer normally £1160. With the offer only £870.

Save 25% off the normal prices. Download the flyer now.

Click here

The post Save Money on Labcold Refrigeration appeared first on Total Lab Supplies.

The chemistry behind why you shouldn’t eat laundry pods

Sysadmin — Fri, 26 Jan 2018 15:28:44 +0000

Laundry pods have featured in the news this week after cases of people eating them in what’s being referred to as the ‘Tide Pod Challenge’. In case you didn’t already realise that this is a pretty terrible idea, this graphic looks at the chemical reasons why you really don’t want them anywhere near your mouth

The Chemistry of Laundry pods

Eating laundry pods is particularly risky since the detergents are at a higher concentration than in liquid detergents. They are highly alkaline; just as highly acidic substances can cause burns, so too can very alkaline ones. If you eat a laundry pod, you run the risk of burns to your throat and stomach from the high concentration detergent they contain. As they pop in your mouth, they can also be accidentally inhaled – definitely not good for your airway and lungs either.

In addition, eating them can also cause breathing problems. Why exactly this is is currently unclear. It seems that in some laundry pod formulations, a sedative effect is seen when they are ingested. This can lead to drowsiness and breathing difficulties. It’s been speculated that a solvent used in the pods, propylene glycol, might contribute. Alternatively, it might be an unknown effect of certain ethoxylated alcohols.

Laundry pods like this also contain a bitter substance to deter children from putting them in their mouths. For more information visit the full article at the excellent Compound Interest

http://ift.tt/2GiQClE

For all your chemical needs contact us on 01744 455000

TOTAL LAB SUPPLIES

The post The chemistry behind why you shouldn’t eat laundry pods appeared first on Total Lab Supplies.

laboratory Archives - Total Lab Supplies

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Hotplate Safety

Save Money on Labcold Refrigeration

SAVE 25%

Save 25% off the normal prices. Download the flyer now.

Click here

The chemistry behind why you shouldn’t eat laundry pods