RC-5C and RC-5B High Speed Centrifuges
Location: 7147 MRB3
There is no charge to use these centrifuges. However, please help me keep accurate usage records and log each time you centrifuge.
Rotors are located in the 7155 Coldroom.
Available Rotors:
- SS-34 – fixed angle (8 x 50 ml)
- SS-1500 – fixed angle (6 x 250 ml)
- SH-3000 – swinging bucket rotor good for centrifuging microplates
KNOW YOUR ROTOR!
Many times I speak with lab personnel about their centrifugation needs. They will tell me that they need to spin at 40,000 rpm. RPMs do not mean the same thing from rotor to rotor.
Everyone should have a good "Rotor Speed Calculator" that they can refer to when they have to do centrifugation. One example that I use is Science Gateway (see link below). Anytime a researcher is required to design a new protocol with centrifugation or if an existing protocol is being revised, one should always check to be sure that the desired g-force matches the rpm.
Science Gateway Rotor Speed Calculator
It is VBI Equipment Resource policy to be good stewards of the rotors by:
- (1) Removing all rotor well adapters after every run
- (2) Inspecting the wells for spilled liquids/broken glass
- (3) Cleaning the rotor wells and adapters if any residual liquids are found
How do I clean the rotor if there is spilled liquids?
Non-hazardous buffer solutions
- Rinse wells with deionized water
- Dry upside down on a paper towel
Viral cell culture media
- Sanitize with a antiviral agent such as Enviricide®
- Clean as you would for culture/media spills above.
Non-viral cell culture or bacterial media
- Sanitize wells with 70% EtOH
- Clean with warm 1% non-alkaline detergent (use a bristled brush if necessary)
- Rinse with deionized water
- Dry upside down on a paper towel
Tritium-contaminated samples
- Sanitize with equal parts of 70% EtOH and 10% SDS in water
- Clean as you would for culture/media spills above
NEVER USE BLEACH!
Questions? Contact me!
Why is this important?
Safety… on many levels. And, properly maintaining our equipment so that it will be available for everyone to use for a long time. I recently pulled rotor well adapters out which had pieces of glass and chunks of semi-dried media under it. Anyone using a rotor after you should not have to clean up a mess first. Liquids left in wells can un-balance a rotor. Also, users should not have to be concerned with contaminating their tubes with unknown biological sample left in the well.