Bunsen burner vs HEPA filter

[Koeng]

Hello,

Sometimes in home labs bunsen burners can be a bit disturbing to family members. The whole idea of an open flame doesn't sit well. In a small room I set up a honeywell HEPA filter 50150-N, http://goo.gl/3YDTDP , and it seems to keep the room sterile enough to leave media unconvered for a little when the flask is next to the filter. Good safe alternative to bunsen burners for those who are paranoid about sterility problems and don't want an open flame.

-Koeng

[to test this, I made/sterilized some 2YT media in a 10qt pressure cooker off amazon. It has been sitting on my lab shelf for about a month with no signs of contamination. I quickly poured some media from this into a culture tube and placed it in a 37c shaking incubator for 1 week. After a week there wasn't any signs of contamination so I terminated the test.]