Laboratory Basics Chapter 1

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Questions and Answers

What is one of the main responsibilities of a medical/clinical laboratory technologist?

Managing hospital finances

Performing surgical operations

Administering medication

Familiarity with fundamental practices and equipment used in laboratory testing (correct)

Calibration is the actual process used to assess a device.

False

What document outlines the criteria for Clinical Laboratory Reagent Water (CLRW)?

CLSI document GP40-A4-AMD

The resistivity of Clinical Laboratory Reagent Water at 25° C must be greater than ____ MΩ ⋅ cm.

10 Signup and view all the answers

Match the following water uses in the clinical laboratory with their purposes:

Preparation of reagents = To create necessary solutions for testing Diluent for controls = To ensure accurate control measurements Flushing analyzers = To maintain equipment cleanliness Incubation medium = To facilitate temperature-sensitive reactions Signup and view all the answers

What is one use of water in a clinical laboratory?

As a diluent for controls and calibrators Signup and view all the answers

Calibration involves adjusting a device to conform to an unchanging standard.

True Signup and view all the answers

What is the minimum resistivity requirement for Clinical Laboratory Reagent Water at 25° C?

<blockquote> 10 MΩ ⋅ cm </blockquote> Signup and view all the answers

The criteria for Clinical Laboratory Reagent Water (CLRW) is outlined in the CLSI document GP40-A4-_____ .

AMD Signup and view all the answers

Match the following types of pipettes with their descriptions:

Micropipette = Used for transferring small volumes of liquid Volumetric pipette = Used for precise volume measurements Graduated pipette = Used for variable volume measurements Serological pipette = Used for transferring larger volumes of fluid Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following represents a primary function of a centrifuge in a laboratory?

To separate components of a liquid Signup and view all the answers

Microbiological impurities in Clinical Laboratory Reagent Water can exceed 50 colony forming units per mL.

False Signup and view all the answers

What general practices must a medical laboratory technologist be familiar with?

Pipette use, centrifugation, laboratory calculations, temperature monitoring. Signup and view all the answers

Pipettes must be selected based on their ____ for the testing process.

type Signup and view all the answers

What is a common use of water in preparing laboratory glassware?

To wash and rinse Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Laboratory Basics - Chapter 1

PowerPoints are for general lecture notes about the video, not the unit exam.
Students are responsible for reading the textbook to answer the unit objectives.
Unit objectives are the student's study guide.
Exam questions are based on the textbook's unit objectives, not the PowerPoint.

Introduction

Medical/clinical lab technologists need to be knowledgeable about laboratory testing practices and equipment.
Pipette selection and use are essential lab procedures.
Centrifugation, laboratory calculations, and temperature monitoring are vital laboratory techniques.
Calibration involves adjusting a device to match standards and known measures.

Water

Water has many uses in the clinical laboratory, including reagent preparation, diluting controls/calibrators, flushing analyzers, incubating cuvettes, and washing glassware.
For many uses, water must meet high purity standards.
Clinical Laboratory Reagent Water (CLRW) criteria are outlined in the CLSI document GP40-A4-AMD.
CLRW criteria include resistivity, microbiological impurities (colony-forming units/mL), organics (total organic carbon, parts per billion), silicates (mg SiO2/L), and particulates requiring filtration (0.22 μm filter).
Water purification methods like pre-filtration, distillation, resistivity, and reverse osmosis (RO) remove impurities. Deionization uses resins to remove ions.
Water purity must be consistently monitored using parameters like resistivity and bacterial content.

Chemical Grades

Chemical purity is graded and indicated on the chemical container.
Less pure grades (practical, technical, commercial) aren't suitable for quantitative assays.
Reagent grade (RG) and other grades such as spectrograde, nanograde, and HPLC grade are ultrapure.
Specifications defined by organizations such as USP, National Formulary, and the Food Chemical Index define impurity tolerances.
IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) sets atomic weight standards.
NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) provides standards, specifications for chemical compounds, and reference materials.

Laboratory Glassware and Plasticware

Glassware: Borosilicate glass is common due to high thermal resistance and low alkali metals. Pyrex and Kimax are examples. Low actinic glassware (amber/red colored) protects light-sensitive materials.
Plasticware: Polypropylene (plastic pipettes, tips), polyethylene, and polycarbonate plastics are used in various lab instruments. PP can withstand autoclaving but other plastics might require care or have limitations. Polystyrene is a rigid, clear plastic suitable for many uses but cannot withstand autoclaving. Teflon (PTFE) is chemically inert and resistant to high temperatures.
Volumetric Laboratory Ware: Pipettes (transfer and measuring) are used for precise liquid transfers and measurements. Positive displacement and air displacement micropipettes exist. Class A pipettes are highly accurate and meet NIST standards. Volumetric flasks and Erlenmeyer flasks also perform specialized functions related to accurate amounts of liquid measurement. Griffin beakers can be glass or plastic.

Weighing Substances

Analytical balances are used for accurate weighing, critical for preparing standards and reagents.
Types of balances include unequal-arm substitution balances (single-pan), magnetic force-restoration balances, top-loading balances (single-pan) as well as electronic balances.
Calibration of balances is crucial, with regular intervals, criteria defined by organizations like NIST (e.g. calibration weights).

Centrifuges

Main components include the motor, drive shaft, and rotor assembly.
Electromagnetic drive motors provide the necessary speed for separating particulates from samples, employing carbon brushes.
Relative Centrifugal Force (RCF) measures force based on rotation speed and distance from the rotor, (RCF = (1.118×10-5)r(rpm)²).
Revolutions Per Minute (RPM) measures the rate of rotation.
Types include swinging-bucket rotors routinely used in serum and plasma separation, and fixed-angle rotors for faster rotational speeds—air-driven ultracentrifuges, and refrigerated centrifuges are also available.
Proper procedures and safety measures must be in place for safe centrifuge operation.

Water Baths

Water baths provide temperature control for incubations and warming solutions, ranging from 5°C above ambient to 100°C, using circulating or non-circulating methods.
Use reagent-grade water.
Maintain water baths and temperature-sensitive equipment with quality controls and cleaning (e.g., appropriate disinfectant, removing debris, temperature checks).

Heating Blocks, Dry-Bath Incubators, and Ovens

Heating blocks, dry-bath incubators, and ovens are used for high-temperature incubations used in chemical reactions, and chromatography.

Mixing

Mixing creates uniform homogeneous systems, bringing solids into solution, phases into contact, and washing suspended solids. Various methods for achieving accurate mixing are available.

Thermometry

Special applications include refrigerated centrifuges, automated analyzer compartments, circulating water baths, osmometry, and devices that require specified temperatures. Temperature measurements and specifications are typically specified in Celsius.
Types of thermometers include total-immersion and partial-immersion thermometers, with different immersion methods.
Temperature sensing devices like thermocouples and thermistors are used in automated analyzers and related components (e.g., circulating water baths). Mercury free thermometers are now readily available
Mercury-free thermometers are now readily available.

Laboratory Mathematics

Systems of measurement include SI units and conversions.
Metric prefixes alter prefixes for measurement increments.
Using SI units for consistency is important where possible.
Conversion equations for temperature measurement include formulas for Celsius, Fahrenheit, and Kelvin.
Logarithms and significant figures are considered in solutions for chemistry and other lab mathematics.
Laboratory mathematics calculations include formulas for percentage solutions, molarity, normality, specific gravity, conversions, and different dilution procedures including serial dilutions. Useful for concentration calculations, dilutions, graphing, and Beer's Law.

Time to Work

Students should use textbook, blackboard handouts, math books, and PowerPoints for answering all objectives.
Objectives should guide the study process.

Postamble

Rely on the textbook for detailed examples and practice for test questions.
Unit Objectives are essential for exam preparation.

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Description

Explore the essentials of laboratory practices and techniques in this quiz based on Chapter 1 of the Laboratory Basics. This chapter covers key topics such as pipette selection, centrifugation, and the importance of high-purity water in clinical labs. Test your understanding of the fundamental concepts necessary for medical lab technologists.