We want to conduct cell culture in a hypoxic environment, however we don't have a nitrogen line in the lab and can't get one installed. We have a premixed gas (2%O2, 5%CO2, 93% N) but have been told it's not compatible with our HeraCELL 240 incubator. Does anyone know of an incubator that can achieve hypoxic conditions using a premixed gas mixture? Thanks for your help in advance.
It will be hard to find a commercial single gas incubator that will allow hypoxic conditions. Typically the single gas is intended to be pure CO2, not a mixture. You could try to see if your CO2 incubator will flow enough of the mixed gas to keep the chamber hypoxic. The mixed gas will not hurt anything. The controller should just keep injecting gas to try to keep the CO2 at 5%. You may find that you use a large volume of gas each day that may be difficult to manage. Another possible problem will be humidification. Mixed gases are usually completely dry and if you are putting a large volume of dry air into the incubator, you may find that the humidity is low in the incubator which can also cause your CO2 sensor to read erroneous levels.
the problem is that normal incubator gets up some fresh air during work. theoretically, if those air-ports can be closed (there is active and passive one), the mixture can be work - it is my opinion only. Pressure should be handled somehow leveling to open air value. Humidity is not an issue untill you have a watered chamber in.
The real problem is that every opening, a certain (big) amount of O2 goes in. I think tri-gas incubators handle this to increase N2 in to force/flush excess O2 out quickly (by detecting O2). That should be not happened with a simple gas-mix. Interesting, anyway. If you push gas-mix of 3 times of the volume through your incubator, you reach the demanded values approximately. I assume. The problem is that for this you need reprogramming the whole reg interface of your incubator, so you need a good electronic engineer... because reaching of CO2 level block additional flush of mix. Nice question.
Better to buy an appropiate equipment.
Thanks for your answers, it is greatly appreciated. I had come to the same conclusion that it wouldn't really work. I think we will have to go ahead and get the appropriate lines and equipment installed. Again, thanks for the feedback.
You could try a C-chamber subchamber inside your regular incubator. That could regulate gases independently of the incubator.
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