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Team:NTNU Trondheim/Safety
From 2011.igem.org
Safety
Lab safety:
All our lab-team members attended a mandatory general safety course when we started university. We were schooled in lab-safety, fire-safety and first aid including CPR. In addition the Institute for Biotechnology at NTNU who are lending us their labs, gave us a thorough guide through all their labs and instructions on their own safety procedures, such as autoclaving waste and disposal of hazardous chemicals when we started working on the iGEM project.
We of course follow general lab safety and wear lab-coats, disposable gloves and safety-glasses when working with recombinant DNA and bacteria. When running gels, we use GelRed instead of ethidium bromide, as it is said not to penetrate cell membranes and thus should not be able to work as a mutagen. However, to be on the safe side, we always wear nitrile gloves when working with GelRed.
The following risk assessments for the lab procedures we are using have been made by the institute’s HSE group:
| Activity | Safety Procedures | Personal risk | Environmental risk | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agarose gel electrophoresis, (GelRed) | Nitrile gloves, protective eyewear (with UV filter), face shield when needed.
Gelred used for staining | GelRed: Unknown, UV: B | A | Gelred is said not to penetrate cell membranes, and thus should not act as mutagen even if it is DNA-binding. Gloves also minimize the risk for exposure. UV damages on unprotected skins/eyes if instructions not followed |
| Antibiotic-stock solution, make and use of | Gloves, handle powder only inside fume hood | A | B | May cause allergic reactions if instructions not followed. May causlead to multi-resistant bacteria if not disposed correctly. |
