Thermo Fisher Scientific has announced that its HM550 Cryostat with cold disinfection for laboratory equipment and safety has been selected as an RandD 100 award winner.
The system is said to reduce laboratory staff health risks as they interact with live cells and infectious tissues.
This benefit is a direct result of the instrument's capability to instantly disinfect the entire cryo chamber in three minutes.
Alternative methods of disinfection require a minimum two-hour warm-up period followed by a 30-minute disinfection process, or UV light, which also takes at least 30 minutes, according to Thermo Fisher Scientific.
In comparison, the company added, cold disinfection efficiently removes aerobic bacteria and fungi in three minutes.
In addition to improving the safety of laboratory work conditions, the speed of cold disinfection reduces workflow interruption as the HM550 Cryostat is safe to use directly after the disinfection process is complete.
The cold disinfection technology uses Sanosil, a strong disinfectant and virucide that is proven to be 99.99 per cent effective when fighting more than 144 pathogens.
As a result, users can work with the knowledge that their cryostat is hygienic and safe.
The RandD 100 award also acknowledged that, unlike other methods of chemical disinfection, which can produce toxic compounds that are dangerous when inhaled in high concentrations, Sanosil is non-toxic and non-carcinogenic, ensuring the health and safety of laboratory technicians.
