Team:Uppsala/Safety
General lab safety and security
Safety is a very important aspect when working in a laboratory. For this, we had an organized tour of safety by a lab technician before lab work started to make sure everyone knew how to behave safely in the laboratory. The demonstration tour included how to handle waste, safety hoods, fire safety, emergency exits, biosafety and how to protect yourself while working in the lab, such as wearing lab coats and gloves/safety glasses when needed. All single use lab material such as pipette tips, plastic loops etc were disposed of in special hazardous waste containers. To make sure medium, as well as lab equipment, was sterile we used autoclavation. Since the machine operates under high pressure and temperature we limited the risk of accidents happening by only letting certain people from the team operate the machine. The lab was a restricted area where only the team and certain university personnel had access to. All chemicals were stored in a locked room in alphabetical order and the lab was checked and locked at the end of each day to make sure everything was in order.
Working with microorganisms
When working with class 1 bacteria, it is necessary to consider the potential harm that it can cause, both towards the students and the environment. This is why we had several precautions to make sure that the risk was as limited as possible. The lab, which we worked in, is classified as biosafety level 1. This allowed us to work with non-pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli TOP10 and BL21(DE3)*. To limit the spread of bacteria in the lab, 70% ethanol was frequently used on benches and other surfaces, as well as the lab crews hands as a disinfectant. This way the bacteria was killed off straight away and the risk of it being spread is reduced. All liquid bacterial cultures and LB/SOB that may have been contaminated were treated with “Jodopax”, which is an iodine-rich substance that kills bacteria. The Jodopax was left in the bacterial solution for at least 1 hour before disposing of into the sink. All glass pipettes used were put into buckets with “Virkon” solution to ensure sterilization. They were left in the buckets for at least one day.
When working with phages we kept to a single fume hood. We had designated equipment for working with the viruses, and we wiped surfaces with chloroform.
Hazardous chemicals
Acrylamide
Acrylamide was used in SDS-PAGE. This substance is toxic which can cause skin and eye irritation and can cause after long exposure organ damage. We protect ourselves with thick nitrile gloves, safety glasses, and lab coats while working with this substance. The one working with it was always extra cautious and disposed of anything that might have come in contact with the substance in a special hazardous waste container.
Acrylamide was used in SDS-PAGE. This substance is toxic which can cause skin and eye irritation and can cause after long exposure organ damage. We protect ourselves with thick nitrile gloves, safety glasses, and lab coats while working with this substance. The one working with it was always extra cautious and disposed of anything that might have come in contact with the substance in a special hazardous waste container.
Antibiotics
Antibiotic is classified as a drug according to swedish law and is currently increasing in resistance in the environment. When handling the substance gloves, lab coats and glasses were worn and material that was used in contact with the substance were sorted into contagious waste boxes. Small liquid cultures including antibiotics were treated with “Jodopax” to destroy the chemical.
Antibiotic is classified as a drug according to swedish law and is currently increasing in resistance in the environment. When handling the substance gloves, lab coats and glasses were worn and material that was used in contact with the substance were sorted into contagious waste boxes. Small liquid cultures including antibiotics were treated with “Jodopax” to destroy the chemical.
Liquid nitrogen
Liquid nitrogen was used to snap freeze when making our competent cells. When liquid nitrogen is very cold it has a boiling temperature of −196 °C which means it needs to be handled with care. That was why a special thermos was used to make sure the gaseous nitrogen could escape keeping the pressure low. When liquid nitrogen was used it was handled with care and safety goggles, lab coat and insulating gloves were worn at all times.
Liquid nitrogen was used to snap freeze when making our competent cells. When liquid nitrogen is very cold it has a boiling temperature of −196 °C which means it needs to be handled with care. That was why a special thermos was used to make sure the gaseous nitrogen could escape keeping the pressure low. When liquid nitrogen was used it was handled with care and safety goggles, lab coat and insulating gloves were worn at all times.
Nickel Sepharose Fast Flow
This substance contains nickel, which can cause allergic reactions when coming in contact with. The nickel ions are also flammable. The substance was kept away from fire and heat at all times. It was handled with care and gloves were worn at all times as protection. The contaminated liquid was disposed of contagious waste boxes as nickel is dangerous for the environment.
This substance contains nickel, which can cause allergic reactions when coming in contact with. The nickel ions are also flammable. The substance was kept away from fire and heat at all times. It was handled with care and gloves were worn at all times as protection. The contaminated liquid was disposed of contagious waste boxes as nickel is dangerous for the environment.
PDMS
PDMS or Polydimethylsiloxane is a silicon-based organic polymer. The product is non-toxic below 180 ℃. Higher temperatures may release hazardous gases. However it was never used at such high temperatures. The product can cause eye irritation so glasses, gloves and lab coats were worn at all times.
PDMS or Polydimethylsiloxane is a silicon-based organic polymer. The product is non-toxic below 180 ℃. Higher temperatures may release hazardous gases. However it was never used at such high temperatures. The product can cause eye irritation so glasses, gloves and lab coats were worn at all times.
Chloroform
Chloroform was used to clean PDMS as well as for cleaning where P1 phage was used. This substance evaporates at room temperature and is dangerous. That was why all work with this substance was done in the fume hood with clearly marked bottles. Nitrile gloves, glasses and laboratory coat were worn while working with it..
Chloroform was used to clean PDMS as well as for cleaning where P1 phage was used. This substance evaporates at room temperature and is dangerous. That was why all work with this substance was done in the fume hood with clearly marked bottles. Nitrile gloves, glasses and laboratory coat were worn while working with it..
