Basic Instrumentation and Use

At the end of this course, students should be able to: 1. explain the term instrument and instrumentation; 2. describe basic instruments used in environmental health; 3. discuss the principles, applications and precautions in the use of field and laboratory instruments in EH; 4. demonstrate the calibration of instruments; 5. conduct Air quality sampling using hand held equipment; 6. discuss Analytical methods; 7. outline the methods used in the maintenance of basic instruments; 8. identify various Standard operating procedures in the use of basic instruments; 9. discuss safety management in the use of basic instruments; and 10. explain documentation and reporting in the use of basic instruments.

Introduction to basic instrumentation in environmental health principles. use and maintenance of laboratory and field instruments in environmental health:- Centrifuge, Refrigerator, Deep freezer, Hot Air Oven, Spectrophotometer (VIS & UV), Colorimeter, Water distiller, Incubator, Semi Auto- Analyser, Hot plate, heater, Water bath, Fume chamber, Electrophoretic tanks (Shandon model), Electronic weighing balance (Top load), Hematological Analyser, Thermostat oven, Fume cupboard, Magnetic hot plate, Temperature control oven, Heating mantle, Microscopes(camera, teaching and many others); Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) Machine, Colorimeter (Hand held), Autoclave, Dessicators, Rotators, De-ionizer, Distiller machine, Hood fume cabinet, Laminar flow hoods, Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS), Light meters and Luminance meters, Anemometers, Manometers, Magnifying Lens, Food probes Thermometer, Refractometer, Dust detector, Ozone monitor, Radiation monitors, Flame Ionization detector (FID), Global Position Systems (GPS) and remote sensing, Gas chromatographty, Toxic gas meters, Combustible gas and Oxygen meters, Infrared Analyzers, Isocyanate monitors, Heat stress monitor, Volatile organic compounds Monitors (VOCs), Smoke generators, Spirometer, Audiometer, Blood gas meter, Gas analyser -CO, CO2, NO4, SO4, H2S, Methane, Particulate meter 2.5 & 10, Gel electrophoresis apparatus, magnetic stirrer, vortex mixer and many others; Documentation, preservation and transportation; calibration, maintenance of basic instruments; standard operating procedures in the use of basic instruments; safety management; documentation and reporting.