Biological Safety Cabinet Performance Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26821/IJSHRE.13.04.2025.130305Keywords:
Biosafety cabinet, Performance metrics, Temperature impact, Air velocity optimization, Personnel activity, Aerosol concentration, Laboratory safety, CFD simulation, Bioaerosol transmissionAbstract
Biosafety has become increasingly critical in the context of emerging infectious diseases and bioterrorism threats. Biosafety laboratories (BSLs) play a pivotal role in biomedical research and clinical diagnostics by providing controlled environments for handling pathogenic agents. Central to their containment systems are biosafety cabinets (BSCs), which serve as primary barriers against bioaerosol transmission through integrated directional airflow and HEPA filtration technologies. This study investigates the performance of biosafety cabinets (BSCs) under varying operational conditions, including temperature, air velocity, personnel activity, and aerosol release concentration. The research focuses on analyzing three key metrics: the sash leakage factor (SLF), protection factor (PF), and cabinet leakage factor (BLF). Numerical simulations and experimental validation were conducted in a BSL-2 Enhanced laboratory using Serratia marcescens as a tracer. Results show that lower temperatures (20°C) significantly enhance BSC performance, reducing SLF by 21.6% and BLF by 27.6% while increasing PF by 97.6% compared to high-temperature conditions (28°C). Optimal air velocity (0.5 m/s) minimizes SLF and BLF, with a 18.4% reduction in leakage risk. Personnel activities, particularly arm movements, drastically degrade performance, increasing SLF by 125% and reducing PF by 86%. Higher aerosol concentrations (1×10⁻⁵ CFU/mL) elevate SLF by 293.8% and BLF by 290.9%, indicating a critical threshold for safe operations. These findings provide actionable insights for optimizing BSC performance and laboratory biosafety protocols.
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