How to get rid of Ethidium Bromide? - (Dec/10/2005 )
While isopropanol removes the bulk of an ethidium spill, it is always a good idea to require students to wear gloves when using a gel-doc.
(What use is a gel-doc if it cannot photodocument EtBr-containing gels?)
In my uni...they put a NO Gloves sign on the monitor of the gel-doc. What would you react?
In my uni...they put a NO Gloves sign on the monitor of the gel-doc. What would you react?
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This sign on the monitor is likely to prevent the keyboard and mouse from becoming contaminated. While it is inevitable that the Gel-doc will be exposed to ethidium at some point, it is a good idea to keep the computer clean. This allows others to use the keyboard without gloves.
In fact, it is a good idea to keep ALL computers on strict "no-gloves" policies.
we did that for the gel imager when the lab undergo renovation.
therefore, it is not suggested for decontamination of labcoat or your shirt...
I am agree with active charcoal. In one of my interns people I witness that decontaminate whole room with Active charcoal.
While isopropanol removes the bulk of an ethidium spill, it is always a good idea to require students to wear gloves when using a gel-doc.
(What use is a gel-doc if it cannot photodocument EtBr-containing gels?)
In my uni...they put a NO Gloves sign on the monitor of the gel-doc. What would you react?
yes. I myself too put a sign "No GLOVED Hands" on the imager door. As the imaging station IS INSIDE my lab. I made it clear to everyone that: To open imager door and adjusting image using keyboard and mouse - NO GLOVED HANDS ARE ALLOWED. So, everyone should work with a hand with glove (for taking and placing gels inside UV chamber), and another hand STRICTLY NO GLOVE (to adjust using mouse/keyboard).
The rationale is, with gloved hands, the possibility of carrying and contaminating EtBr everywhere (mouse/keyboard) is 50% (yes or no). But without gloved, the possibility is Nil --- nobody is stupid enough to immerse their hands in EtBr.
We use the same computer for documenting gel picture, surf internet, do homework, type reports......... so far it is quite clean --- and of course, it was under my STRICT supervision, that nobody dare to violate the rules.
Opss...i think i forgot to put in one more sentence in it.
It should be..putting a NO-GLOVES sign in the gel-doc..but students still use BOTH hand WITH gloves to use da gel-doc. So what do u react?
I'll scream at them and scold them. And tell them that: It is their business if they want to die early, other people in the lab don't want to die young!!!!
It had been a practice in our lab for... few GENERATIONS since my senior's seniors time. We all just keep the "tradition". Normally, only undergrads will make such mistake. Therefore, when undergrads start their work in the lab, we normally KEEP an eye on them CLOSELY. SEniors in our lab and nearby labs will all EDUCATE the undergrads they in charge well before they start to use.
EtBr is easily/highly soluble in water, so you can try to wash it off.
In my experience, Sybr doesn't work as well as EtBr. However, generally we use sybr everyday for routine works and EtBr for very important works...
This is the safetst thing to do...
I thing that is from old "Molecular Coloning" the 3 volumes books, which my boss and our head opstdoc treated as holy Bible.
I believe the order is bleach then EtOH than water, each each step requires some soaking time.
last time the grad student in lab google "EtBr disposal" and get what she want.
In all areas of our lab where EtBr is used, we put signs with green X's (meaning "EtBr free zone", for light switches, mouse, keyboards, etc.) and red X's (meaning "you can touch this with EtBr gloves", for gel doc equipment, buffer bottles and such)... so, if you trust your lab-mates, it can be a good system....
I do not trust my lab-mates, so I touch things with green X's with clean gloves, not bare hands...
I do not trust my lab-mates, so I touch things with green X's with clean gloves, not bare hands...
Yup. The practice using bare hand to control mouse and keyboard comes with this disadvantage.
Since the UV illuminator is located in the lab that is not my working lab, i do not want to endanger myself by using bare hand. There is no point if you practice it but get contaminated in return(from other labmates).
So, my personal practice is wearing clean gloves to control mouse and keyboard in that area.Safe enough to me, and my labmates
*If you are working in highly regulated lab, maybe even wearing clean gloves will get scold.Wear it wisely