Some people are using the term “Hood” to cover Fume Hoods and Biosafety Cabinets. To ensure that you choose the proper hood for your application, let's examine their differences as they're used for different purposes. Each of them also has 2 major sub-category: A2 and B2 for Biosafety Cabinets, and Ductless and Ducted for Fume Hoods. Below are the technical differences between the four types:
Class II Type A2 Biological Safety Cabinet (BSC)
Class II Type B2 Biological Safety Cabinet (BSC)
Ductless Fume Hood
Ducted Fume Hood
For handling pathogens. When optionally ducted: small amount of naturally evaporating non-corrosive, volatile organic chemicals.
For handling pathogens. Has builtin ducting to handle medium amount of heated, noncorrosive, volatile organic chemicals.
For handling medium amount of naturally evaporating, mildly corrosive, limited range of chemicals matching the carbon filter, no pathogens.
For handling large amount of heated, corrosive, and wide range of chemicals but not pathogens.
Operation protection against biohazards inside. Product protection against outside contaminants.
Operator protection against biohazards and chemicals inside. Product protection against outside contaminants.
Operator protection against chemicals inside, but not pathogens, and no product protection against contaminants.
About 2/3 of air from the plenum is recirculated as downflow, and 1/3 is exhausted into the lab through exhaust HEPA filter.
100% exhausted outside the building through exhaust HEPA filter, with no recirculation back into the work zone.
100% exhausted into the lab through exhaust Carbon filter.
100% exhausted outside the building without any filter, hence risk assessment of what is being dumped into the outside environment is suggested.
Not applicable | Ducting, rooftop exhaust blower | Not applicable | Ducting, rooftop exhaust blower
Exhaust and downflow HEPA filters | Exhaust Carbon filters | No filters at all
Even when ducted, this is not for forcibly evaporated chemicals due to recirculation back to the work zone, no corrosive chemicals.
No corrosive chemicals.
Not for handling pathogens and sterile samples. Not for handling forcibly evaporated or highly corrosive chemicals.
Not for handling pathogens and sterile samples.
Esco Labculture® Class II Type A2 Biosafety Cabinet | Esco Labculture® Class II Type B2 Biosafety Cabinet
Esco Ascent™ Max Ductless Fumehood | Esco Frontier® Acela Ducted Fumehood
Esco Lifesciences provides high-quality products and services based on years of experience.
For more information on Hoods, please click the Cabinet Selection Guide button below.
Visit our website for more: escolifesciences.com
Esco Lifesciences is a world-leading life science company with a diversified portfolio and sales in over 100 countries. As a manufacturer of laboratory and biopharma equipment, and IVF medical devices, Esco offers tailored solutions that fit the needs of laboratories in various industries.
This post is related to:
Contamination Control: Cleanrooms, Gloveboxes, Hoods, Isolators
