System Generates Lab Atmospheres for Anaerobes

The work is generally extremely time-consuming and requires high capital outlay and/or very high consumable costs. Using Anavac, a system produced by Ilmvac UK Ltd. (Burgess Hill, UK), carefully controlled vacuum evacuation of the original gas is replaced with oxygen-free gas.
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The rapidity of oxygen depletion is the most critical aspect of anaerobic microorganism culturing. During the period of oxygen depletion, the bacteria are subject to trauma due to the presence of oxygen. This can greatly reduce or eliminate yield, which in turn can lead to potentially hazardous false-negative results.

With anaerobic conditions generated by the Anavac system inside a jar in less than one minute, the adverse effects of oxygen toxicity are prevented. Two evacuation cycles to 50 mbar and back filling with nitrogen generate an atmosphere with less than 0.05% oxygen. This causes the oxygen indicator strip to change color, confirming that anaerobiosis has taken place. The level of evacuation and back filling is carefully controlled to prevent damage to aqueous culturing media or accidental pressurization.

Micro-aerophilic bacteria require oxygen-depleted, but not oxygen-free, atmospheres for growth. These bacteria sometimes need to be cultured under a number of different micro-aerophilic atmospheres with differing oxygen levels. By varying the evacuation level and back fill conditions with the Anavac system, an atmosphere with any desired concentration of oxygen can be acquired in just a few minutes.

The growth of certain bacteria requires a capnophilic atmosphere, one with enhanced CO2 concentration in the range of 3-10%. Others used in research may desire very specific gas concentrations of H2 and CO2. These atmospheres can also be generated quickly and simply with the Anavac system.

Anavac avoids the high cost of a traditional glove box, eliminates the high consumable costs of sachet-based anaerobic jars, and reduces the handling costs of gas cylinders, supplies, and waste products. Anavac is a new, quick, and convenient atmosphere-generation solution.



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