Loading The Rotor; Working With Physiological Fluids; Symmetric And Balanced Loading - Beckman Coulter GH-3.8 Instructions For Use Manual

Loading the Rotor

Working with Physiological Fluids

WARNING
Handle body fluids with care because they can transmit disease. No known test
offers complete assurance that they are free of micro-organisms. Some of the
most virulent — Hepatitis (B and C) viruses, HIV (I–V), atypical mycobacteria, and
certain systemic fungi — further emphasize the need for aerosol protection.
Take appropriate safety precautions when handling toxic, pathogenic, or other
hazardous materials.
When working with potentially hazardous materials, always fill or open containers in an
appropriate hood or biological safety cabinet. Three levels of containment are offered by
Beckman Coulter, and can be used singly or combined, depending upon your application.
1. Capped tubes or bottles are designed to provide fluid containment. We strongly recommend
that all containers carrying physiological fluids be capped to prevent leakage.
2. Bucket covers for the GH-3.8 rotor help to contain fluids within the bucket in the event of tube
breakage or blood-bag failure.
3. Aerosolve cannisters are designed to minimize the possibility of aerosol (and fluid) leakage
during centrifugation.

Symmetric and Balanced Loading

To ensure optimal performance and stability, the GH-3.8 rotor must be loaded symmetrically (see
Figure 4). Two factors affect symmetric loading:
• The buckets must be loaded symmetrically with respect to their pivotal axes.
• The rotor should be loaded symmetrically with respect to its center of rotation.
This means that for best results you should load opposing buckets or carriers with the same type of
labware containing the same amounts of fluid of equal density. Additionally, opposing buckets and
their contents should weigh approximately the same (within 6 grams). Do not exceed the rated
maximum load for either buckets (1000 grams each, including labware and sample) or Micro Plus
carriers (500 grams each, including base, pad, plate(s), and sample).
PN GS6-TB-003MD
GH-3.8 Rotor
Loading the Rotor
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