Ethidium Bromide gloves - (Oct/18/2007 )
Hi,
I would like to ask which type of gloves you use when you run DNA gel electrophoresis (i.e. when you handle Ethidium Bromide)? latex or nitrile or use double gloves (either latex or nitrile on the outside + PE glove inside)? Our lab technichian told me that the latter method (double glove) is the most safe.
Thx. 
I would like to ask which type of gloves you use when you run DNA gel electrophoresis (i.e. when you handle Ethidium Bromide)? latex or nitrile or use double gloves (either latex or nitrile on the outside + PE glove inside)? Our lab technichian told me that the latter method (double glove) is the most safe.
Thx.
I use two pairs of latex gloves (in case the gloves have bad quality) when I'm working with something containing/contamianted with Ethidium bromide and just toss the first one away every time I need to touch something not in the "Ethidium Bromide contaminated area" of the lab.
you should not use latex as EtBr pass through. Use nitrile instead.
None. I don't add EtBr to my gels. All my lab's electrophoresis equipment is free from EtBr. My lab does have baths containing a diluted solution of EtBr. When handling EtBr, I use latex gloves. However I change my gloves almost as quickly as I put them on. Latex doesn't really stop anything from getting through, slows it down.
The double glove method is the safest. However I do believe it is over kill in regards with EtBr. the chemical itself is not very dangerous, only a dilution is used to stain gels. And importantly gloves that have handles EtBr should go into the bin immediately after you have finished handling the gel. There is no reason to keep contaminated gloves on you for any duration of time, as they can quickly contaminate your work environment.
our entire lab has now converted to nitrile due to allergies to the latex - they take a little getting used to but i'd be more confident of the protection offered by nitrile
dom
We also use nitrile, but to be quite honest I'm not overly fussy about it and sometimes use latex or even no gloves if I'm just moving my gel into the tank or something. I really think the risk associated with use of EtBr is highly exaggerated, especially at the concentrations we use.............but I could be wrong.......I'll let you all know if I end up with cancer........
Yeah..to be honest..EtBr isn't that Very very hazardous...well bare hand with wound cuts will be very risky though. Actually I personally oso think that latex glove is enuff..The more you paranoid about infected by EtBr..the likely you will get the consequences...That's how it goes...I guess
my facility banned latex (because of the potential for an allergic reaction) so we use nitrile gloves.
we also use nitrile gloves
I have always used latex. I didn't realize people were so scared of EthBr - I wonder if I'll get cancer later? I'm not overly careful with EthBr - in fact this laptop I'm typing on may have some on it right now!
Wouldn't it have to get into some germ line type of cell to create a huge problem? My skin just dies off, regardless of whether it gets mutated, right?
<<quoting from this webpage : http://rrresearch.blogspot.com/2006/10/her...um-bromide.html
Ethidium (also called homidium) was developed as a treatment for trypanosomiasis (African sleeping sickness), and is still used in Africa where resistance to it is not a problem. The following quote is taken from the Encyclopedic Reference of Parasitology (2004): "...homidium is generally well tolerated at recommended dose and also at higher dose levels (no systemic toxicity)..." (source). The recommended dose for cattle is 1mg/kg body weight (up to 50mg/kg has been used in mice). Compare this with the 0.25 - 1 microgram/liter used in molecular biology. A 50kg researcher would need to drink 50,000 liters of gel-staining solution to get even the non-toxic dose used in cattle.>>
The gels look so pretty with ethidium bromide in them, one of these days I'll probably have to eat one - and I'm sure I'd be fine.