Basic laboratory instruments
• pH meter is an instrument used to measure acidity or alkalinity of a
solution - also know as pH.
• pH is the unit of measure that describes the degree of acidity or alkalinity.
It is measured on a scale of 0 to 14.
2. Calomel electrode
It consists of a glass tube containing saturated KCL connected to
platinum wires through mercury-mercurous chloride paste.
Principle
When the pair of electrodes or a combined electrode (glass electrode and
calomel electrode) is dipped in an aqueous solution, a potential is
developed across the glass of the bulb (of glass electrode).
The e.m.f of complete cell (E) formed by the linking of these two
electrodes at a given solution temperature is therefore –
E= Eref – Eglass
• Eref is the potential of the stable calomel electrode, which at normal
room temperature is +0.250V, Eglass is the potential of the glass
electrode which depends on the pH of the solution under test.
Ion selective electrode
Applications
1. Ion selective electrodes are used in a wide variety of applications for
determining the concentration of various ions in aqueous solutions.
2. Pollution monitoring: CN, F, S, Cl, NO3 etc, in effluents and natural
water
3. Agriculture: NO3, Cl, NH4, K,Ca in soils, plant material and
fertilizers.
4. Food processing: NO3, NO2 in meat preservatives.
5. Salt content of meat, fish, dairy products, fruit juices and brewing
solutions.
Incubator
• An incubator is a device used to grow and maintain microbiological cultures or
cell cultures. The incubator maintains optimal temperature, humidity and
other conditions such as the CO2 and oxygen content of the atmosphere
inside.
• The simplest incubators are insulated boxes with an adjustable heater, typically
going up to 60 to 65 °C (140 to 150 °F), though some can go slightly higher
(generally to no more than 100 °C).
Components of incubator
Incubator
Uses
• These are mainly used for –
i) Determination of enzymes in the specimen by end point reaction
methods.
ii) Determination of glucose, urea, uric acid, cholesterol, triglycerides
etc. by enzymatic methods.
iii) Growing microorganisms on various culture method.
Balances
Laboratory balances are used to measure the mass of solids, liquids, and other
samples.
The balances used are of three types-
a) Physical balances
b) Two pan analytical balances
c) Mono-pan balances
• Physical balances are used for weighing out substances, where great
accuracy is not required. These are useful for the preparation of
qualitative reagents.
• Two-pan analytical balances are useful for the preparation of
quantitative reagents, Weighing range of 0.001 to 100 g can be obtained
on these balances.
• The monopan balances are most sensitive and weighing accuracy can be
obtained up to 0.001 mg. These balances are mainly used for the
preparation of standard solutions.
Analytical Balances
• These are used mainly to weigh the chemicals accurately for the
preparation of analytical reagents.
Electrical balances
• Components-
i) A null detector- Senses the position of the balance beam
ii) Electromagnet- Controlling current
iii) Readout device
Centrifuge
• A centrifuge is a device that uses centrifugal force to separate various
components of a fluid.
• This is achieved by spinning the fluid at high speed within a container,
thereby separating fluids of different densities (e.g. cream from milk) or
liquids from solids. It works by causing denser substances and particles
to move outward in the radial direction.
• A centrifuge machine can be described as a machine with a rapidly
rotating container that applies centrifugal force to its contents. There are
multiple types of centrifuge, which can be classified by intended use or
by rotor design:
➢Types by rotor design:
• Fixed-angle centrifuges are designed to hold the sample containers at a
constant angle relative to the central axis.
• Swinging head (or swinging bucket) centrifuges, in contrast to fixed-
angle centrifuges, have a hinge where the sample containers are
attached to the central rotor. This allows all of the samples to swing
outwards as the centrifuge is spun.
• Continuous tubular centrifuges do not have individual sample vessels
and are used for high volume applications.
Types by intended use:
• Laboratory centrifuges, are general-purpose instruments of several types
with distinct, but overlapping, capabilities. These include clinical
centrifuges, superspeed centrifuges and preparative ultracentrifuges.
• Analytical ultracentrifuges are designed to perform sedimentation
analysis of macromolecules using the principles devised by Theodor
Svedberg.
• Haematocrit centrifuges are used to measure the volume percentage of
red blood cells in whole blood.
• Gas centrifuges, including Zippe-type centrifuges, for isotopic
separations in the gas phase.
Uses