centrifuge is an essential piece of scientific equipment that is often expensive. The requirement for a centrifuge can change according to time. With several recent scientific and technological advancements, it is essential to educate oneself on the several centrifuge alternatives now accessible. For instance, the workspace could now be more limited, or the laboratory's activity level may have grown dramatically, resulting in an increase in the number of users, etc. Thus, changing times lead to changing requirements.
Types of centrifuges:
Laboratory centrifuges are necessary for everyday centrifuging activities in the laboratory. Various kinds of centrifuges are used based on the requirements of a laboratory.
Low-speed centrifuges:
RCF - approx. 7000 x g
Application: whole-cell separation (RBC and platelets separation) and cell harvesting stage. These machines may also be fitted with rotors and liners built specifically for the blood banking business.
Ultracentrifuges:
Application for g-forces: till 1,000,000 g
Volume capacity- 0.23 mL - 250 mL.
Subtypes:
full-size floor models
g-forces - till 802,000 g
Volume capacity - till 250 mL
These tiny variants are intended for usage in hospitals and clinics that need a low-throughput machine. To spin blood collection tubes and urine samples at very low speeds for diagnostic testing.
RCF - 3000 g or less.
Volume capacity- 3 to 15 mL tubes
Microcentrifuges are often fitted with rotors that accommodate 0.2-mL PCR tubes, 1.5-mL/2.0-mL disposable microcentrifuge tubes and filters, and are designed to spin contents up to 2 mL. They are required in all laboratories.
RCF - roughly 21,000 g
Application - DNA, Plasmid, and RNA processing, as well as miniprep kits.
What we need to know about Benchtop centrifuges:
The compact shape of benchtop centrifuges makes them ideal for labs with limited space. Numerous labs find benchtop centrifuges to be a cost-effective alternative since they are adaptable, convenient, and can meet a wide range of applications. They are user-friendly, much smaller and less in weight. Benchtop versions are created with space-saving features that allow them to be put anywhere in compact laboratories. Various categories of benchtop centrifuges are available in the market. As per your needs, you can opt for the one that is suitable for you.
Benchtop centrifuge for general purpose:
These are the most prevalent kind of laboratory centrifuges. They provide a broad variety of rotor types, capacities, and speeds in a single device to fulfill the requirement of a variety of standard protocols. Most general-purpose devices may be fitted with a variety of swinging-bucket and fixed-angle rotors, making them ideal for multi-user environments.
RCF – upto 24,000 g
Volume capacity -0.2 mL–750 mL.
Application: DNA/RNA research, cell harvesting, subcellular separations, protein processing, etc.