Should the Pharma Industry Invest in Controlled Atmosphere Cabinets?

By Sarah MooreReviewed by Megan Craig, M.Sc.

Explore the significance of controlled atmosphere cabinets in maintaining precise environments for handling sensitive materials, their advantages, applications in pharmaceutical laboratories, and key investment considerations.

Introduction to Controlled Atmosphere Cabinets

Controlled atmosphere cabinets are specialized enclosures specifically designed to create and maintain a controlled atmosphere. These containers are used for handling sensitive materials, such as those that react to oxygen, atmospheric gases, and moisture. Controlled atmosphere cabinets are set to the precise environmental conditions necessary for the material. The temperature, humidity, oxygen level, and level of other gases can be set and maintained within the controlled environment of controlled atmosphere cabinets.^1-3

Controlled atmosphere cabinets can be either static-controlled or flushed-controlled. In the first type, the produce generates the atmosphere; in the latter type, the atmosphere is produced by a steam of gas and maintained by scrubbing and ventilation.¹

Controlled atmosphere cabinets are used in several different applications. Here, we will discuss their importance in the pharmaceutical industry, their advantages, their applications within the pharmaceutical industry, and what should be considered when investing in a controlled atmosphere cabinet.

Importance of Controlled Environments in Pharmaceutical Laboratories

Pharmaceutical laboratories rely on controlled environments to ensure the safety, efficacy, and reliability of their products. It is vital that specific environments are produced and maintained so that factors such as temperature, air quality, humidity, and sterility can be ensured. In pharmaceutical laboratories, therefore, controlled atmosphere cabinets play a crucial role.⁴

Controlled environments are important in pharmaceutical laboratories for several reasons. First, they are required to ensure the quality of pharmaceutical products. Pharmaceutical products must be manufactured, tested, and stored under controlled conditions to ensure their quality and efficacy.⁴

Pharmaceutical laboratories are also required to comply with certain regulatory standards, such as those enforced by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US or the European Medicine Agency (EMA) in the EU. These regulations are put in place to minimize the risk of contamination and degradation of pharmaceutical products; part of this involves keeping these products in controlled environments.⁵

Controlled environments are also important in pharmaceutical laboratories for ensuring work safety. Many compounds used in the pharmaceutical industry can harm human health if not handled properly. Controlled environments help keep workers safe by minimizing the exposure of humans to potentially harmful compounds.

Finally, controlled environments are vital in stability testing, where pharmaceutical products undergo various tests to assess their degradation process and shelf life.

Advantages of Controlled Atmosphere Cabinets

There are many advantages of using controlled atmosphere cabinets, both in the laboratory and in industrial settings. Key advantages include the protection of sensitive materials. Pharmaceutical laboratories, in particular, work with sensitive materials. Controlled atmosphere cabinets protect these materials from exposure to oxygen, moisture, and other factors that could harm the product. Similarly, controlled atmosphere cabinets are important for preventing the contamination of materials. Again, this is fundamental to the success of manufacturing safe and high-quality pharmaceutical products.

Scientists working in research can benefit from the optimized experimental conditions offered by controlled atmosphere cabinets. In studies, these cabinets can be used to create and maintain precise environments for carrying out trials and collecting data.

Improved safety is another important benefit of using controlled atmosphere cabinets. As mentioned above, they are important for minimizing the risk of exposing human workers to potentially harmful materials.

Finally, using controlled atmosphere cabinets can be beneficial in extending the shelf life of materials, which can be advantageous in numerous cabinet applications.

Applications of Controlled Atmosphere Cabinets in Pharmaceutical Laboratories

There are many applications of controlled atmosphere cabinets in pharmaceutical laboratories. First, they are essential for maintaining sterile environments. Aseptic manufacturing processes, as well as the handling of biological materials, require a sterile environment to ensure that materials do not become contaminated.

HEPA filtration systems can remove airborne particles from controlled atmosphere cabinets. Many commercially available products allow scientists to work in a sterile or aseptic environment, such as the Class III isolator from the Albian Group, and the Pharmaceutical isolator by Tema Sinergie.

Controlled atmosphere cabinets are also used to protect pharmaceutical compounds that are sensitive to oxygen, moisture, and other atmospheric gases. Such compounds can only be worked within a controlled environment.

Another application of controlled atmosphere cabinets within pharmaceutical laboratories is in stability testing. To assess a pharmaceutical compound's shelf life and degradation process, it must undergo stability testing. Controlled atmosphere cabinets are used here to maintain certain conditions to conduct tests accurately and reliably.⁶

Finally, controlled atmosphere cabinets are crucially important in storing sensitive materials in pharmaceutical laboratories. Without controlled environments, pharmaceutical materials could perish or degrade.

Considerations for Investing in Controlled Atmosphere Cabinets

The initial investment of purchasing a controlled atmosphere cabinet can be high. However, over time, the use of this equipment can lead to a reduction in costs. For example, controlled atmosphere cabinets can lead to reductions in product waste, improve efficiency in research, manufacturing, and testing, and reduce the need to redo work that is spoiled due to contamination.