What is the purpose of a biosafety cabinet?

The purpose of a biosafety cabinet is primarily to provide a sterile environment and protect both the user and the samples from contamination while handling biological materials. These cabinets are designed to filter air and create a controlled work area that minimizes exposure to infectious agents or hazardous organisms.

When biological materials are manipulated, there is a risk of inadvertently releasing pathogens into the environment or contaminating the samples. The biosafety cabinet employs HEPA filters to trap airborne particles, ensuring that the air flow within the cabinet is directed in a way that protects the user and prevents the escape of contaminants. This is crucial in laboratories where work with potentially harmful microorganisms, cell cultures, or recombinant DNA is conducted.

The other options do not accurately reflect the main purpose of a biosafety cabinet. Storing chemicals, growing cultures, or conducting experiments with hazardous chemicals are activities that might take place in a laboratory, but they do not specifically describe the function of a biosafety cabinet, which is fundamentally focused on safety and contamination prevention when working with biological materials.