What is the main purpose of using sealed tubes in laboratory settings?

The primary purpose of using sealed tubes in laboratory settings is to maintain the integrity of samples. Sealed tubes are designed to prevent contamination from external substances or microorganisms that could affect the quality of the sample. This is especially important when working with biological materials or sensitive chemicals, as any introduction of foreign agents can alter the results of experiments or tests. Furthermore, sealing the tubes helps in preserving the samples by preventing evaporation or degradation due to exposure to air, humidity, or temperature fluctuations.

Maintaining sample integrity ensures that the data collected is reliable and valid, which is crucial for scientific research and clinical applications. By ensuring that samples remain uncontaminated and unchanged during storage or testing, researchers can draw accurate conclusions based on their experiments.