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The lab has spent car battery cells and, in the fume cupboard, their pulverised contents.

Such voice-controlled tools allow researchers to work hands-free — particularly useful when working in a fume cupboard or handling sensitive samples.

Preston’s research relied heavily on handling chemicals in a fume cupboard.

By increasing freezer temperatures from −80 to −70 °C, replacing overhead lights with LED bulbs and turning off one fume cupboard, the lab could reduce energy usage by 8% and save around 13 tonnes of CO2 and $2,500 annually.

According to Mr Van Dam, it's a substance best handled in a laboratory fume cupboard.