As an after effect of introduction of innovative and sophisticated laboratory technologies, the chemical process industries, pharmacutical industries, medical sciences, information and comunication technology, metrology, automation and constructions sectors have in recent years undergone a tremendous change. Process automation, precise measurement and control are improving day by day, leading to the advancement in science and technology.
Laboratory equipment refers to various tools and equipment used by scientists and technicians in a laboratory. A laboratory in turn is a facility that provides controlled conditions for scientific research, experiments, and measurements. The term laboratory is also used for other facilities where the processes or equipment used are similar to those in scientific laboratories. For instance, film laboratory or photographic laboratory, computer laboratory, pharmacutical or clinical laboratory, metallurgical laboratory, clandestine laboratory for the production of illegal drugs are some of the examples.
Clinical laboratory:Clinical laboratory is a place where we detect, diagnose and treat diseases. Advancements in clinical laboratories play an important role in the development of medical science. Today clinical laboratories employ a variety of sophisticated equipments, including automated equipment and computerized instruments capable of performing a number of tests simultaneously, microscope and cell counters.
A dental laboratory usually houses furnishings and equipment for dental surgery, dental infection control and maintenance, dental materials, dental tools, services, information and communication organizations. To add to all these, emerging concepts like adhesive dentistry, self-etching bond and metal free restorations are expected to hit the laboratories in a short span of time.
Chemical laboratory: The Chemical Science and Technology Laboratory (CSTL) in USA is a leading chemical metrology laboratory for chemical measurements, entrusted with developing, maintaining, advancing and enabling the chemical measurement system for the nation. National Physical Laboratory (NPL), National Chemical Laboratories (NCL), Central Industrial and Scientific Laboratories (CSIRs) have similar role in India. These laboratories develop and disseminate the standards required to support national interest in chemistry, chemical engineering and emerging biosciences. The motto of these laboratories include:
#.To provide accurate and reliable data and predictive models to determine the chemical and physical properties of materials and processes
#.Conducts research in science to develop processes, standards and generate data needs and to underpin the development, implementation and/or assessment of new technologies
While small laboratories offer tests on anything and everything, large laboratories generally offer tests only in specialised areas.
Process automation: An automation technology laboratory works with robotics, mechatronics and control of industrial processes, while diagnostics laboratory technology team aims to increase access to quality diagnostics and to strengthen laboratory services through:
#.Evaluation of currently available diagnostic technologies
#.Provision of quality assurance programmes
#.Guidance, training and technical support
#.Country projects
The era of the handheld calculator lasted about a decade. Then the desktop personal computer arrived and quickly overshadowed calculators. Since then the computer industry has created a series of smaller, faster, and smarter versions of the PC, with each new generation of it improving the lives of its users. Just as the handheld calculator found a place in the lab, personal computing in its
various forms has become an inevitable thing for research activities. Indeed, the PCs have exerted a profound impact on the productivity of individual scientists and research teams.
Early progress in laboratory automation took place in the area of remote and controlled handling. As sample volumes necessary for a reaction decreased from several milliliters to microliter, experiments were conducted in microtiter plates rather than test tubes. The plates possessed several unique attributes, making it a standard in handling many small volume samples. The precise and predictable positioning of its wells permitted the use of multi-channel pipetters to dispense liquids into the plates. Lab technicians continued to make mistakes and to forget which wells of a plate had received a chemical reagent, underscoring the importance of remote handling and control for managing radioactive and toxic chemicals.
Strategic laboratory: Los Alamos National Laboratory, a research facility in Los Alamos, New Mexico, was where the first atomic and hydrogen bombs developed. When it was founded in 1943, the laboratory was devoted solely for the development of weapons. However, the facility has broadened its research to high-speed computing, advanced materials, lasers, environmental technologies, space sensors, and other fields.
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in India play an important role in development of strategic materials. The Meteorological laboratories have been started in six defense schools in the National Capital Region (NCR), Delhi. The modalities for implementation were discussed and it was decided to identify Meteorology and Pollution as theme for Delhi schools.
Science laboratory: During the past 10 years, combinatorial chemistry and high throughput screening have profoundly influenced the ability of researchers to produce and evaluate a group of chemical compounds for different purposes. This technology helped to decrease the time and amount of material needed to produce and screen many chemical compounds. Combinatorial chemists can produce a large number of compounds with varying but related structures, which can then be screened for biological activity.
These automated systems allow scientists to analyze molecular interactions within living cells. Such 'whole cell' systems have several advantages over in vitro compound target measurements. Scientists can evaluate molecular interactions in the context of the actual intracellular environment and drug penetration in whole cell studies. And whole cell assays eliminate the need for protein purification and expression steps.
Automation to robotics: Automation systems are usually a combination of hardware devices interfaced together to perform specific laboratory procedures, such as filling microtiter plates with a substrate or other reagent. These can be very simple, dedicated workstations that perform a task or a group of tasks such as sample dilution, filtration or addition of reagent. The functions are fixed and often specific to a particular task or experiment.
In contrast, laboratory robotics systems can usually perform many functions and can be designed and programmed to meet specific laboratory needs. They enable computers to do physical work in addition to data processing. These systems are very flexible in that they can be redesigned and reprogrammed to meet the changing needs of a laboratory environment.
Zymark, an industry leader in laboratory robotics, uses a modular system of robotics, computers, and hardware that allows for the expansion of capabilities without obsolescence. The pharma and biotechnology companies can't afford to stop their efforts to improve. "It's a fantastic field as it's driven by biology, chemistry, robotics, and informatics," said Millennium Pharmaceuticals' Cohen.
Forensic laboratory: Wildlife Institute of India has been receiving wildlife offence cases from various enforcement agencies since 1987. It was felt that enforcement of Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act (1972) is often hampered due to the lack of reference materials and methods necessary to identify the animal and plant species in various wildlife offence cases.
A collaborative project between US Fish and Wildlife Services and Wildlife Institute of India was initiated in October 1995 to strengthen the Wildlife forensic capabilities at WII through research and development and then disseminating the knowledge to the various law enforcement agencies. Wildlife Institute of India provided the logistic support as well as the workspace for the forensic lab, while the infrastructure has been procured through Wildlife Forensic Project.
Environmental and radiological laboratories: In India, well before the commissioning of the plant, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) establishes a well-equipped Environment Survey Laboratory (ESL) at each Nuclear Power Plant Site. The primary aim of the environmental monitoring programme is to demonstrate compliance with the radiation exposure limits set for members of public. In pre-operational phase, ESLs generate baseline data on the levels of external radiation dose and concentration of natural radioactivity (Uranium and Thorium and their daughter products, Potasium-40 etc.) and radionuclides due to global weapon fallout (Strontium-90, Cesium-137 etc.). This requires a detailed measurement of these radionuclides in different environmental matrices (air, water, fish, silt, sediment, soil, vegetation, goat thyroid, vegetable, milk, grass, crops, fruits, meat and other dietary items) covering 30 km radial distance around the plant.
To assess the radiological impact in the event of a nuclear accident / large scale disaster or accidents involving transport of radioactive materials, a Mobile Radiological Laboratory (MRL) has been designed and commissioned by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) for rapid off-site (public domain) deployment. MRL is capable of speedy collection of data to evolve and implement suitable remedial strategy.
The laboratory is equipped with the necessary radiation measuring devices to carry out the environmental and radiological monitoring. It is furnished with facilities to generate base line data for important areas such as proposed sites for nuclear facilities and can be used for routine environmental and radiological monitoring. This mobile laboratory is also expected to play a vital role in enhancing the public awareness about the facts of radiation.
(The author is expert in chemicals and intermediates based in Mumbai)