Incubator

Hello everyone,

Here I am with another  Instrumentation named Incubator

The microbiological incubator is deployed in research and industry in a wide variety of applications with living organisms.Profuse growth of microbes is obtained in the laboratory by growing them at suitable temperatures. This is done by inoculating the desired microbe into a suitable culture medium and then incubating it at the temperature optimum for its growth.

Incubation is done in an incubator , which maintains a constant temperature specifically suitable for the growth of a specific microbe. As most of the microbes pathogenic to man grow profusely at body temperature of normal human being (i.e. 37°C), the usual temperature of incubation is 37°C. The incubator maintains optimal temperature,humidity and other conditions such as the carbon dioxide (CO₂) and oxygen content of the atmosphere inside.The incubator maintains optimal temperature,humidity and other conditions such as the carbon dioxide (CO₂) and oxygen content of the atmosphere inside.

An incubator provides conditions for optimal growth of microbiology cultures. Natural or forced air convection maintains a constant, even temperature in a range from a few degrees above room temperature to as high as 100 °C. Microbiology incubators come in a wide range of sizes and shapes - even tiny benchtop incubators for microfuge tubes.

The incubator has a thermostat, which maintains a constant temperature, set according to requirement. The temperature reading on the thermostat is approximate. Accurate temperature can be seen on the thermometer fixed on the incubator. Exact temperature, as per requirement, is set by rotating the thermostat knob by trial and error and noting the temperature on the thermometer.

 They can be used for many applications beyond traditional bacterial culture, such as 

• Temperature dependent incubations,
• Growing cell cultures
• enzymatic reactions or for reagent storage. 
• Reproduction of germ colonies with subsequent germ count in the food industry
• Reproduction of germ colonies and subsequent determination of biochemical oxygen demand (wastewater monitoring)
• Reproduction of micro organisms such as bacteria, fungi, yeast or viruses
• Breeding of insects and hatching of eggs in zoology
• Controlled sample storage
• Growing of crystals/protein crystals
• Programmable controls and refrigeration are some of the additional features available in incubators on the market today. 

-Dixy