Mobile and Modular Laboratory Platforms

I was at a meeting recently when someone asked, ‘What are mobile and modular BSL-3 labs and when should they be used?” It is a good question that comes up often. Deciding which platform is the best choice depends on the institute mission, size requirements and in the case of mobile labs, the local road conditions. For example, if the roads are narrow and turns are very tight, a 12.5 meter long truck lab may not be able to navigate the roads, while a Sprinter van would have no problem.

Hazmat Trailer Lab

Mobile Labs: Trucks, Sprinter Vans, Trailers

Mobile labs are those labs which can be moved from place to place easily and often by their own power. They include platforms built into 12 meter long trucks, 4 meter Sprinter vans, and trailers of various sizes (i.e. 6, 7,12 meters).

Rapid Sample Triage and Screening

They are rapidly deployable and often used in incident investigation (i.e. suspicious materials), military and civil preparedness applications (NBC sampling and analysis at high level events), surge capacity at different locations, and in support of testing during natural disease outbreaks. They are designed to provide on-the-spot rapid sample triage and screening, and presumptive diagnostic capability to assist in prioritizing samples being sent to national reference labs.
Mobile labs were initially developed in 1986. It wasn’t until the late 1990’s with the advent of decreased size and ease of portability of analytical equipment and prepackaged reagents, and the availability of igh speed communications technology that these labs became increasingly popular.

: Hazmat trailer lab interior

They are rapidly available from time of order to time of delivery, and can be cost effective. Mobile labs are not however meant to be a substitute for fixed labs, rather they augment the mission and provide a capability not possible with a fixed asset. The advantages and disadvantages various platforms such as trucks, vans, trailers and containers on flatbeds will be discussed in a later blog.

Truck lab with slide out

Modular labs are constructed using containers that are retrofit and finished at the factory then shipped to a location where they are permanently installed. The containers are fabricated to be strong and durable enough to withstand handling and stacking during shipping while acting as a protective enclosure to the valuable cargo they contain. Containers come in a variety of sizes and while one container can be turned into a lab, it is not uncommon in the US and overseas to use multiple containers to build a versatile suite of labs with support and change areas, animal housing and a separate mechanical space. Connecting 3 containers provides a space that is approximately 7.3 meters wide and 12.2 meters long.

Truck lab interior

Once they are installed onsite they become fixed labs and do not move. These labs are used for teaching, research, public health and as diagnostic reference labs.

Modular containment labs have become increasing popular over the past 10-15 years. They do not require the same process for construction approval as ‘stick-built’ labs and are an increasingly attractive solution to providing additional facility space and new technology capability to existing buildings.

Truck lab interior 2

Modular labs are designed and assembled by organizations with expertise in biocontainment, making them a sensible solution to providing turn-key containment capability in countries where resident expertise is not yet available or is nascent and would benefit from partnering with experienced entities.

Modular Laboratories: Rapidly Available | Easily Shipped

They also are rapidly available from time of order to time of delivery (compared to ‘stick built labs’, the container itself is of low relative cost and can house a lab that is custom designed with ample space, and is easily shipped nationally and internationally.