Glove Box: a mini safety laboratory
According to ESV directives (on the contained use of organisms), traditional bacterial warfare agents, such as anthrax, plague and tularaemia are categorised as Risk Group 3 agents and thus must only be handled in a bio-safety level 3 laboratory. Until 2003, the SPIEZ LABORATORY did not have this type of facility.
This situation was largely improved by the acquisition of a complex microbiological safety workbench – an interim solution until the DDPS safety laboratory is operational. It satisfies biosafety level 3 requirements and is used to analyse environmental samples that are suspected of being contaminated with anthrax. It was installed by the SKAN company according to requirements set down by the SPIEZ LABORATORY.
The facility consists of four interlinked segments:
A category II microbiological workbench is used to prepare infectious material for the safe insertion and discharge through the connecting air-lock system which also has a disinfectant-filled dip tank used for the disinfection of containers during the discharge process. In turn, the air-lock system is connected to a category III microbiological workbench equipped with a series of 4 gloves which are built into the front window - hence the name glove box. An incubator is docked directly on the glove box. It cannot be opened from the outside and can only be accessed by means of the last glove. Therefore the incubator is part of the closed system (containment). This facility meets the specific bio-safety level 3 requirements, which include negative pressure and a HEPA filtering system.
A distinguishing feature of this facility is that it is entirely enclosed and can only be accessed through the gloves. This means that our laboratory staff and the environment are afforded outstanding protection.
The facility has an integrated decontamination system, which uses vaporised hydrogen peroxide. This means that the glove box, the air-lock chamber, the incubator and the ventilation superstructure and its HEPA filter can be periodically decontaminated.
Once the decontamination process is completed, the front window of the glove box can be opened to enable the removal of larger pieces of equipment. When the air-lock system is in use, the negative pressure ensures a directed flow of air from the category II workbench to the air-lock chamber and towards the glove box. The air-lock gates are hermetically sealed and equipped with sensors, which activate an alarm in the event of handling errors.
At the end of 2003, the Swiss Federal Office for Public Health (SFOPH) authorised the SPIEZ LABORATORY to undertake activities associated with Risk Group 3 bacteria, enabling it to carry out detection procedures for anthrax, plague and tularaemia. The facility was installed in the restricted-access High-Tox building of the SPIEZ LABORATORY, which facilitated the implementation of the biosafety concept. All procedures are strictly governed by detailed regulations and revalidation work is regularly carried out.
The SPIEZ LABORATORY is now in a position to provide reliable and competent back-up to cantonal laboratories in the event of a suspected bioterrorist attack..