Centrifuges
are becoming more necessary due to the pandemic. Many healthcare facilities,
including labs, are looking to purchase their first or their next centrifuge to
offset some of the testing burdens. Whatever the case, we want to help you get
a better understanding of centrifuges. So in this post, we will look at what a
centrifuge is, how it works, and the types. Let’s jump in!
What is a Centrifuge?
A
centrifuge is a laboratory device that is typically used within medical
practice and scientific settings to separate particles from a solution using a
rotor. It is used to separate fluids, gas, and liquid of organelles, cells, and
large molecules during a centrifugation
process.
How Does a Centrifuge Work?
Although
gravity does a fine job separating elements, it takes a long time, and that’s
why we need centrifuges, as it does the work in minutes rather than waiting up
to a day or more for the natural gravitational
force. Essentially, a centrifuge uses the sedimentation principle. The sedimentation
principle involves particles with a higher density than that of the solvent
sinking (sediments), while the lighter particles float to the top. The gravitational force causes this
separation to occur according to substance density.
Each
centrifuge has a rotator that spins and produces a centrifugal force. This force then gets applied to each particle in
the sample. This causes the particle to sediment based on the centrifugal force applied. How quickly the
sedimentation principle occurs is
also dependent on the consistency of the solution and the particles’ physical
properties. Additionally, the particles move faster when there is a significant
density difference, and when there is none or very little difference in
density, the particles remain still within the sample.
In
the end, the denser particles typically sink to the bottom, and the lighter
ones remain on top, just as in the case of making juice with the fruit pulp.
The pulp is heavier, so it sinks while the liquid stays on top. Also, in a
blood sample with red blood cells and plasma combines, the centrifugation process will leave the red blood cells at the bottom
and the plasma on top.
Types of Centrifuges
We’re
looking at centrifuge types based on the number of samples (tubes) they can
hold. Some centrifuges are designed for either 6, 12, or 24 tubes. The amount
of tubes you need is dependent on the size of your facility and the number of
samples processed daily. Small laboratory settings or medical facilities tend
to opt for a 6 -tube centrifuge.
Stick
around; in our next post, we’ll take a more in-depth look at these three
centrifuges, their differences, and their special uses.
References
How a Centrifuge Works - Drucker
Diagnostics. (2020, February 13). Drucker Diagnostics.
https://druckerdiagnostics.com/knowledge/how-a-centrifuge-works/
Centrifugation Theory. (2021).
Fishersci.se.
https://www.fishersci.se/se/en/scientific-products/centrifuge-guide/centrifugation-theory.html
Laboratory Centrifuges |
Biocompare. (2017). Biocompare.com.
https://www.biocompare.com/Lab-Equipment/Laboratory-Centrifuges/