What To Know About Gloveboxes

By Bob Applequist, product manager, Labconco Corp.

Over the last two decades in the United States, there has been an increased usage of gloveboxes for a growing number of applications. Scientists, engineers, manufacturers, and facility managers have started using new terms for these devices in an effort to better define and categorize specific glovebox applications. The terms isolator, isolator glovebox, glovebox isolator, and barrier isolator are now commonly used to describe a glovebox and its functions. Unfortunately, expedient terminology usually falls short of defining the operational requirements for any specific glovebox.

In general terms, there are two types of gloveboxes: isolator gloveboxes that are filtered by ventilation, and controlled atmosphere gloveboxes.