Animal laboratories play an indispensable and crucial role in various fields such as life science research and drug development. However, due to the involvement of various animals and potentially pathogenic microorganisms during experiments, animal laboratories also pose high biosafety risks. Ensuring that animal laboratory engineering meets biosafety protection requirements is of utmost importance for safeguarding the safety of researchers, protecting the environment, and facilitating the smooth progress of scientific research. Today, Guangzhou Cleanroom Construction Co., Ltd. will take you on an in - depth exploration of biosafety protection in animal laboratory engineering.

Animal laboratories should be strictly divided into clean areas, semi - contaminated areas, and contaminated areas. The clean area is used for storing clean items, and for researchers to change work clothes and take breaks, such as in dressing rooms and shower rooms. The semi - contaminated area can be set up as buffer rooms or corridors, serving as a transition between the clean area and the contaminated area, effectively reducing the spread of contamination. The contaminated area is where animal experiments and animal rearing are carried out, including animal rearing rooms, dissection rooms, and laboratories. For example, in the animal laboratory of a large scientific research institution, through clear and rational zoning, no biosafety accidents have occurred due to area confusion since its establishment.

Reasonable airflow organization is the key to preventing the spread of pollutants. The ideal airflow direction should be from the clean area to the semi - contaminated area, then to the contaminated area, and finally discharged outdoors after high - efficiency filtration. Common air supply and exhaust methods include top - supply bottom - exhaust and top - supply top - exhaust. For instance, when using the top - supply bottom - exhaust method, the air supply outlets are located at the top of the room, evenly sending out clean air, while the exhaust outlets are located at the bottom of the room near the ground, promptly discharging contaminated air. This creates a stable airflow gradient in the room, reducing the risk of cross - contamination between different areas.

To further prevent pollutants from spreading from the contaminated area to the clean area, a reasonable pressure gradient needs to be set. Generally, the clean area maintains a positive pressure, the contaminated area maintains a negative pressure, and the pressure in the semi - contaminated area is between the two. For example, the clean area has a relative atmospheric pressure of +20Pa, the semi - contaminated area has +10Pa, and the contaminated area has - 10Pa. This creates a pressure difference between different areas, ensuring the directional flow of air. It's like adding layers of "protective shields" to the laboratory, effectively blocking the spread of harmful microorganisms.

As the core protective equipment in animal laboratories, biosafety cabinets are classified into Class I, Class II, and Class III according to their protection levels. Different levels are suitable for experimental operations with different degrees of risk. Class I biosafety cabinets only provide protection for personnel and the environment and can be used for experiments involving microorganisms with known low hazards. Class II biosafety cabinets are the most widely used. They can protect personnel, the environment, and experimental samples, and are commonly used in experiments such as cell culture and microbial inoculation. Class III biosafety cabinets have the highest protection level. They are completely enclosed structures and are suitable for experiments involving highly pathogenic microorganisms, providing comprehensive safety protection for experiments.

The selection of animal rearing equipment directly affects the health of animals and the accuracy of experimental results, and is also related to biosafety. For example, in the Independent Ventilated Caging (IVC) system, each cage box has an independent ventilation duct, which can effectively prevent cross - infection between animals in different cage boxes. It is also convenient to control the environmental parameters inside the cage, such as temperature, humidity, and air quality. In addition, the materials of the cage should be corrosion - resistant and easy to clean and disinfect. Stainless - steel cages, for example, have good durability and hygiene, making it convenient to clean animal excreta in a timely manner and reducing the risk of microbial growth.

Complete disinfection and sterilization equipment is essential for killing harmful microorganisms in the laboratory environment and on items. Common ones include autoclaves, which can perform high - temperature and high - pressure sterilization on experimental equipment, culture media, animal waste, etc. Hydrogen peroxide low - temperature plasma sterilizers can quickly and efficiently sterilize heat - sensitive medical devices at low temperatures. Ultraviolet disinfection devices are often used to disinfect the laboratory air and the surfaces of objects. The coordination of various disinfection and sterilization equipment ensures effective control of microbial contamination in all aspects of the laboratory.

Personnel entering animal laboratories must undergo comprehensive and systematic professional training, covering biosafety knowledge, experimental operation skills, animal rearing management, etc. After the training, they can only be qualified to work after passing strict assessments and obtaining corresponding qualification certifications. For example, the animal laboratory of a certain university requires all new recruits to participate in a one - month pre - job training and pass both theoretical and practical exams. Only those with qualified scores can enter the laboratory to carry out work, ensuring that personnel have the ability to deal with biosafety risks from the source.

Proper wearing and use of personal protective equipment are important means of self - protection for personnel. In animal laboratories, experimental personnel need to be equipped with protective clothing, masks, gloves, goggles, and other protective items. The protective clothing should have good barrier properties to effectively block the penetration of microorganisms. Masks should be selected as medical protective masks or N95 masks that meet the standards to ensure the filtration effect of air droplets and microorganisms. Gloves should be selected according to the type of experimental operation. For example, latex gloves are used for general experiments, and chemical - resistant gloves are used for experiments involving contact with toxic and harmful reagents. Goggles can protect the eyes from animal body fluids, aerosols, etc. Experimental personnel must strictly follow the operating procedures to wear and remove protective equipment to avoid self - contamination during the process.

Formulating and strictly following standardized experimental operation procedures is the key to reducing the occurrence of biosafety accidents. There should be detailed and clear operation guidelines for every link, from the reception, rearing, experimental operation of animals to the disposal of waste. For example, when conducting animal dissection experiments, it is necessary to follow the specified steps to avoid splashing of animal body fluids. When dealing with animal waste, it is necessary to classify and place it in special containers and carry out disinfection and sterilization treatment as required. At the same time, the laboratory should develop a complete emergency response plan. For potential emergencies such as animal escape and microbial leakage, it should clearly define the emergency response process, division of responsibilities, and treatment measures, and organize regular drills to ensure that personnel can take prompt and orderly actions when an accident occurs, minimizing losses and hazards.

Regularly monitor the environmental parameters of animal laboratories, including temperature, humidity, pressure difference, air cleanliness, and microbial content. Install temperature and humidity sensors, pressure gauges, dust particle counters, microbial samplers, and other equipment to collect data in real - time and analyze it. Once the environmental parameters are found to be beyond the specified range, immediate adjustment measures should be taken. For example, when the temperature and humidity deviate from the set values, promptly check the operation of the air - conditioning system and carry out maintenance. If the microbial content exceeds the standard, conduct a comprehensive disinfection of the laboratory and investigate the source of contamination.

Regularly maintain laboratory equipment to ensure its stable performance and reliable operation. Develop a detailed equipment maintenance plan, clearly defining the maintenance cycle, maintenance content, and responsible persons. For example, biosafety cabinets need to be regularly tested for wind speed, have their high - efficiency filters replaced, and undergo cabinet cleaning and disinfection. Autoclaves should be regularly inspected for safety valves, pressure gauges, etc., and undergo cavity cleaning and sealing performance testing. The fans and filters of the ventilation system also need to be maintained on time. Complete records of equipment maintenance should be kept to trace the operating conditions and maintenance history of the equipment.

Regularly inspect the laboratory facilities, including the integrity of the building structure, the sealing of doors and windows, and the safety of pipelines and circuits. Check for cracks in the walls and ceilings, whether the doors and windows can be closed properly and are well - sealed, and whether there are leaks in the water, electricity, and gas pipelines. For any damaged facilities or potential safety hazards found, repair and rectify them in a timely manner to ensure that the laboratory facilities are always in good operating condition, providing a solid hardware foundation for biosafety protection.

Biosafety protection in animal laboratory engineering is a systematic project, involving multiple aspects such as facility layout, equipment configuration, personnel management, and monitoring and maintenance. Only by strictly controlling every link can biosafety risks be effectively reduced and the smooth progress of scientific research be ensured. Guangzhou Cleanroom Construction Co., Ltd. specializes in the production of purification equipment and is committed to providing professional and reliable biosafety protection solutions for various animal laboratories, contributing to the safe advancement of scientific research.