Stay Informed - Aerosols in the Lab

Have you ever heard of the term aerosol? Aerosols consist of particles like dust, pollen, but also bacteria, fungal spores, viruses, etc., suspended in a gas (most of the time, air). And did you know, that very common laboratory activities produce aerosols? Depending on the particle, these aerosols can cause infections: many documented cases of laboratory-acquired infections resulting from the production and inhalation of infectious aerosols around the world proved this true. In daily laboratory work, centrifugation is just one source of aerosols, and therefore, it is highly recommended to take adequate precautions when working with hazardous or infectious substances. In this Eppendorf Stay Informed clip, you will learn what aerosols are, where they occur and how to centrifuge hazardous/infectious samples in a safe way.