Rickus Lab Protocols

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Lab Waste

General Lab Waste Procedures Created by: J.L. Rickus Created date: 4/19/2005, updated 6/9/2006

All waste generated by the lab is to be disposed of in proper containers. Waste is sorted by type. There are trash containers around the lab with labels that indicate their contents. Different waste types have different disposal procedures.

DRY WASTE

• Lab Glass: All glass waste (disposable glass vials, nonbioglass pipets, microscope slides, empty chemical vials) that has not been exposed to hazardous chemicals should be placed in a lined box labeled as glass. When the box is full, seal the box, label it as glass sharps, and place it with the normal trash to be picked up for disposal by the janitor.

• Plastic Lab Waste: Plastic pipettes, plastic tubes, eppendorf tubes should go into a separate ridid container. When the container is full, seal it up and label it “Sharps”. This can go out with the normal trash.

• Cell Culture Waste:
  • Glass Pipets: Place in plastic tub under the cell culture hood. When this fills up, transfer pipets to a lined cardboard box. Seal the box, label the box as “Glass Sharps” and place with the standard trash.
  • Look-a-like waste: We do not have biohazardous waste in the lab, but we have “look-a-like-waste”. Cell culture plates, plastic pipets, tubes that contained cells and any other biohazard-look-alike-items should be placed in the special container labeled “cell culture waste”. This can contains an autoclave bag. When it is full, seal it with auto clave tape, autoclave it, leave it in the autoclave room with an attached white look-a-like waste pick-up form. No fluids in this bag! Aspirate all fluids from the waste before putting it in the container.
  • Other: Kimwipes, gloves, paper towels can go into a normal trash container.

• Other: Most other dry waste (other than chemicals) that we generate can go into the normal trash. If you are not sure, please ask.

LIQUID WASTE

• Hazardous Chemicals: Familiarize yourself with the Chemical Hygeine Plan! This document is the authority.
• Alcohols
• Acids and Bases

never put anything in the sink unless you are sure you can safely and legally do so!

Special Notes on Chemical Handling

1. APTMS & APTES. This is a preventative note to everyone who works in the biopolymer "chemistry" area. Many of us are involved in materials work or chemical functionalization involving silane-type chemicals. If one of these chemicals happens to spill or is dripped onto the threading of the bottle - it can and will fuse the bottle in a permanently closed position, making the remaining chemical unobtainable and therefore wasted. In particular, this refers to highly reactive conjugative silanes, such as the aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) and aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES).

These bottles should please be kept upright during storage (as with any liquid) and if a spill occurs or if the chemical is dripped onto the cap or bottle closure threading - it needs to be wiped cleaned with methanol or ethanol (for the threading) or a mixture of ethanol and water for the bench. Additionally, the bottle in question should be checked after a day to ensure that it is still usable, and if not, a new stock ordered. Accidents do happen, but please try to remember that we sometimes all use chemicals from the same stock, and if the stock is depleted or otherwise inaccessible, it can slow all of our research.