Week 3 Flashcards
It is important to understand how each chemical will react in
-Storage (a safe and ventilated environmental ideal)
-Waste
-Mix (can one chemical safely react with another, what safe concentration can they do this)
Storage must be_________
Ventilated and fireproof
What are desiccants?
-Can be with or without vaccuum
-Some chemicals are affected by water vapour
-Blue or purple pellets at the base of the container to indicate water with a colour change
-Used for heavy metals like magnesium, sulfur, potassium, and lithium to prevent oxidation
Why are brown or amber glass bottles used?
-For light sensitive chemicals, to keep reaction away from light or covered with foil ex. Bradford reagent, phenol
What should be done with oxygen sensitive reagents?
-Must be preserved by removing oxygen from container and replacing with nitrogen gas, typically done in fume hood
-This must be done for purified lipid samples
What are important considerations for fume hoods?
-Keeping sash at the indicator level for optimal flow (calibrated to specific height)
-Work in the middle of the hood (6” in)
-Do not block the rear intake
-Keep at least 50% clear
-Not a storage area for chemicals
What are some considerations for acids and bases?
-Adding them to water
-Kept in a fire safety cabinet unless small volumes are decanted (10 mL)
-Waste containers will be specific to the type of acid and type of base, never mix them
-Follow waste handling protocols
What are the hazards of acrylamide?
-Used in protein electrophoresis gel but is a Neurotoxin (wear mask and gloves)
What are the hazards of ethidium bromide?
-Used to label nucleic acids, but is a mutagen and you should wear gloves
What are the hazards of phenol?
-Used for DNA extraction but is corrosive so you should wear chemical resistant gloves in fume hood
What are the hazards of phenylmethyl-sulfonate fluoride (PMSF)?
-Used for protein isolation to prevent proteinase activity, but extremely toxic if absorbed through skin– wear gloves
What are the hazards of Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)?
-A detergent used in protein electrophoresis, but an extreme irritant if inhaled, wear a mask and gloves
What are the hazards of Methanol?
-Poisonous if ingested, irritant to skin
-Used in several biotech protocols ex. transfer buffer for immunoblotting
-Use in fume hood to decant, wear gloves
What are the hazards of 2-mercaptoethanol?
- Toxin causes pain on skin, irritant to lungs
-Used to denature protein samples before electrophoresis
-Used in fume hood, wear gloves
What are the requirements for chemical waste?
-Clear and concise records of how much and what kind of waste is in each container
-Dates and signage
What are the different kinds of waste
-Chemical waste
-Hazardous waste
-Radioactive waste
-Biohazard
-Trash/recycling
What is specific activity in regards to radioactivity?
-How many molecules decay each second (HOT probe)
What is half life?
-Time needed for initial number of radioactive atoms to reduce by half
-Shorter half-life indicates greater specific activity
What are some types of emissions?
-Beta particles (use a geiger counter to detect)
-Gamma x-ray particles (require background thyroid scan, gamma monitor)
What are isotopes?
-Elements that share the same amount of protons but different number of neutrons
What are radioisotopes?
-Radioactive form of the element (ex. carbon has 6 protons but the radioisotope has 8 neutrons 14C)
Sale, transportation, use and disposal of radioactive compounds is regulated by
The Federal government
How are radioactive compounds stored?
-Mostly cold storage ranging from 4 to -80*C
-There will be a designated space in fridge or a separate fridge in radioactive room for stock and samples
What is iodination?
An aerosol forming compound that requires a fume hood, lead vest and shield
Disposal of it will be costly
What are the hierarchy of controls?
-Elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, PPE
Shielding can be
Acrylic and/or lead (for gamma rays)