Handling and Disposal
Ethidium bromide is not regulated as hazardous waste at low concentrations, but is treated as hazardous waste by many organizations. Material should be handled according to the material safety data sheet (MSDS). Wastes should always be treated in accordance with federal, state and local guidelines.
The disposal of laboratory ethidium bromide remains a controversial subject. Ethidium bromide can be degraded chemically, or collected and incinerated. It is common for ethidium bromide waste below a mandated concentration to be disposed of normally (e.g., pouring it down a drain). A common practice is to treat ethidium bromide with sodium hypochlorite (bleach) before disposal. According to Lunn and Sansone, Chemical degradation using bleach yields compounds which are mutagenic by the Ames test. Data are lacking on the mutagenic effects of degradation products. Lunn and Sansone describe more effective methods for degradation. EtBr can be removed from solutions with activated charcoal or amberlite ion exchange resin. Various commercial products are available for this use.
Read more about this topic: Ethidium Bromide
Famous quotes containing the words handling and/or disposal:
“Many more children observe attitudes, values and ways different from or in conflict with those of their families, social networks, and institutions. Yet todays young people are no more mature or capable of handling the increased conflicting and often stimulating information they receive than were young people of the past, who received the information and had more adult control of and advice about the information they did receive.”
—James P. Comer (20th century)
“A mental disease has swept the planet: banalization.... Presented with the alternative of love or a garbage disposal unit, young people of all countries have chosen the garbage disposal unit.”
—Ivan Chtcheglov (b. 1934)