In which equipment does air pass through a HEPA filter?

A biosafety cabinet is specifically designed to provide a controlled environment that protects both the user and the samples being handled. It accomplishes this by employing a HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter, which is crucial for trapping airborne particles that could carry pathogens or hazardous materials. The HEPA filter ensures that any air that is expelled from the cabinet is free of contaminants, thus providing the necessary sterile environment for biological work. This makes biosafety cabinets essential in laboratories where safe handling of biological agents is a priority.

In contrast, while fume hoods and laminar flow hoods may also employ filtration systems, they are designed with different purposes in mind. Fume hoods primarily protect the user from chemical vapors and fumes rather than providing a sterile environment. Laminar flow hoods create a clean airflow for sterile work but do not necessarily aim to contain or filter hazardous biological materials in the same way as a biosafety cabinet. Incubators, on the other hand, provide a controlled temperature and humidity environment for the growth of microorganisms but do not typically feature HEPA filters for air filtration. Thus, the unique design and purpose of the biosafety cabinet make it the correct answer, as it integrates HEPA filtration as a fundamental