The Use of Fume Hoods in Pharmaceutical Enterprises in Drug Research And Development Experiments?

The use of fume hoods in pharmaceutical enterprises in drug research and development experiments should follow the following key points:

First, operation norms and safety protection

Pre-experiment inspection

Before using the fume hood, the operator should first check whether the sliding door window is intact, whether the lighting is on, whether the air velocity on the fume hood surface is within the normal range, and whether there is an alarm message on the screen. Only when all the inspection results are normal can the fume hood be operated.

Ensure that the face velocity of the fume hood meets the standard, generally taking a face velocity of 0.4-0.6m/s as the standard. When the wind speed is too low, pollutants cannot be effectively captured and contained, increasing the risk of them escaping into the indoor environment. If the wind speed is too high, the gas is prone to form vortices in front of the operators, which also poses a risk of escaping into the indoor environment and contaminating the operators.

Experimental Operation Specifications

The glass window is only allowed to be opened to the highest state when assembling, debugging the internal instruments and equipment or cleaning the space inside the cabinet. This is the "debugging state".

Open the glass window to the user's elbow (half open), allowing the operator to reach into the cabinet to conduct experiments, while the area above the chest is protected by the safety tempered glass of the glass window. This is the "normal operating state".

Open the adjustment door to the minimum opening, and the operator leaves to allow the experimental program inside the cabinet to react automatically or pause the experiment. This is the "standby state".

When conducting experiments in a fume hood, laboratory personnel should avoid putting their heads into the regulating door to prevent danger. When pollutants start to form inside the fume hood, the operator must approach or leave the fume hood slowly, as rapid movement will cause disturbances to the airflow near the front opening of the fume hood, thereby carrying out the pollutants inside the hood. In front of the fume hood, the operator should also avoid rapidly waving their arms and moving their position.

Post-experiment processing

Before finishing work and leaving the fume hood, the operator should turn off the power of the equipment inside the fume hood, and also close all water, electricity and gas switches. Only after lowering the regulating door to the lowest position can they leave.

When the fume hood has handled highly toxic, highly residual or radioactive substances, the interior of the fume hood should be cleaned immediately to remove contamination. A clear warning sign should be hung on the contaminated fume hood, and the maintenance personnel should be informed of which pipeline systems may be contaminated to avoid injuring the maintenance personnel.

Second, placement of equipment and items

Equipment placement

Equipment should be placed as far inside the fume hood as possible and at least 15 to 20 centimeters away from the regulating door. When the height of the placed equipment exceeds 10 centimeters, there needs to be an air flow channel beneath the equipment. Stainless steel brackets can be used to raise the equipment. Hollow or perforated brackets can reduce the interference with the air flow pattern.

It is necessary to avoid placing too many instruments and equipment in the fume hood. The total area of equipment or other devices in the fume hood should not exceed 50% of the countertop area.

Use of power supply equipment

When using instruments and equipment that need to be connected to power in a fume hood, it should be noted that the equipment should be grounded to reduce the possibility of sparks. The power cord should be pulled out from the air inlet at the bottom and connected to an external power socket. The power socket should also have a complete and certified grounding facility.

Third, equipment maintenance and upkeep

Daily cleaning

Although the interior of the fume hood is made of high-molecular corrosion-resistant materials, appropriate cleaning and maintenance are necessary to extend its service life. If reagents or chemicals splash during normal use, they should be wiped and removed immediately. Before leaving work every day, the interior should be wiped clean with clean water.

The cabinet under the fume hood is equipped with a power control box. Therefore, it is strictly prohibited to place any corrosive substances there, nor should the power control box be blocked to avoid danger.

Regular inspection

The deflector plate should be removed for cleaning and inspection at least once every three months.