A Bottle Top Dispenser (BTD) is a scientific device that aids in the distribution of chemical reagents (acids, bases, alkalis, and so on). Although dispensing can be done manually, it is fraught with dangers such as chemical spills, poor measures, and even fatal lab accidents. Bottle Top Dispensers are one of the greatest dispensing choices accessible to scientists for preventing such dangers and improving lab safety.
Benefits of Bottle Top Dispensers
- Accuracy and Precision: Bottle Top Dispensers are known to have an accuracy of 0.5% to 0.6%. The tiny delivery tube makes it easy to dispense into small-sized receptacles (such as a test tube).
- Safe & Easy to Use: Use of Bottle Top Dispensers in a lab offers both safety and ease of use for scientists and researchers. Bottle Top Dispensers keep reagents in a closed environment, limiting inadvertent spills and exposing users to hazardous chemicals. The adapters, which are often included as an accessory with the dispensers, allow the dispenser to comfortably fit most laboratory reagent bottles.
- Time Saving: Bottle Top Dispensers not only provide safe dispensing but also boost productivity by speeding up operations. When chemicals are poured by hand from the source container to the receiver container, it can take hours to create many samples of the same quantity. Bottle Top Dispensers, on the other hand, allow for the preparation of several samples in a short period of time.
- Chemical Saving: Bottle Top Dispensers are designed to prevent reagent waste and unintentional spilling. They have a recirculation valve that eliminates reagent loss during purging by diverting it into the mounted bottle, allowing for bubble-free dispensing. Aside from that, if the recirculation valve is closed and the piston is unintentionally pulled down, the reagent will return to the bottle rather than flowing out.
5 Things to Keep in Mind When Using a Bottle Top Dispenser
It is a requirement that every experiment be error-free. To achieve the same result repeatedly, each reading must be correct. This is when Bottle Top Dispensers come in handy. They are a sophisticated and safe piece of scientific lab equipment for handling reagents. Certain considerations must be made when using a Bottle Top Dispenser, such as:
The type of reagent to be used: Scientists use a variety of reagents, each with its own set of qualities. The highly aggressive ones can corrode the equipment to which they are exposed. To avoid this, ensure that the Bottle Top Dispenser components that come into touch with the reagent/chemical are constructed of chemically inert material. Remember that corrosion is hazardous not only to the apparatus but also to the users, as leakage can result in both chemical waste and lab mishaps. As a result, before utilizing a Bottle Top Dispenser, make sure you know what kind of reagent you’re dealing with and proceed accordingly.
Avoid unintentional spilling: Any scientist dealing with Bottle Top Dispensers should ensure that the dispenser is the correct size and fits properly. This is significant since an ill-fitting dispenser might cause reagent spillage, which Bottle Top Dispensers are designed to prevent! Thus, only by taking note of the fit can the dispenser prevent hazardous or fatal lab mishaps and reagent waste.
Protective gear: Before beginning any experiment, even with a Bottle Top Dispenser, take the necessary precautions and wear the appropriate protective gear. Wearing safety gloves and masks is always recommended when working with a Bottle Top Dispenser since the more precautions you take, the better.
Guarantee correct installation, calibration, and maintenance: To guarantee that a Bottle Top Dispenser works properly, install it with care and meticulously follow the instructions. Ensure that the Bottle Top Dispenser is properly calibrated after installation so that it can provide dependable and consistent reagent delivery. Bottle Top Dispensers can be used for a long period, however adequate and timely maintenance is required.
Store in a sanitary environment: Bottle Top Dispensers that can be autoclaved directly on a reagent-containing bottle avoid the chance of the reagent coming into contact with air. However, every Bottle Top Dispenser has a hole on the side or rear that can allow air to enter the device. As a result, keep your Bottle Top Dispensers in a biosafety cabinet at all times. Air can contaminate the reagent, posing a safety risk.
Bottle Top Dispensers are a godsend for laboratories: They saved a lot of time and supplies by avoiding hand dispensing of chemicals from large containers. They also avoided fatal lab mishaps. Such great instruments can be used more efficiently provided the people who work with them are cautious and keep the issues addressed in this blog in mind.
This originally posted here: https://themediumblog.com/5-things-to-remember-while-using-bottle-top-dispensers/
