[DIYbio] EtBr Toxicity etc. (Was: electrophoresis power supply)

<snip>

> There is no disregard for MSDS. Search online. Ethidium Bromide
> disposal is not regulated by the EPA. Most states do not have
> regulations regarding it's disposal either.

It is regulated in some other *countries* though, meaning that even if
we all accept that it's not as dangerous as commonly thought, we're
better off suggesting alternative gel dye methods as "community
standards" that we can expect to be equally applicable to all. Those
with a need for higher gel resolution can upgrade to something more
effective later on.

> I am sure Ethidium Bromide is mutagenic if inhaled in high
> quantities or consumed in large quantities or placed it on the skin
> in high quantities. I have worked with Ethidium Bromide for ~10 years
> and I can't recall it ever even touching my skin... I wear gloves as
> when working with it as I assume most people wear gloves when doing
> lab work especially with potentially hazardous chemicals? Again, it
> would seem only logical that if Ethidium Bromide was so dangerous
> there would be an outbreak of cancer amongst professional Scientists
> but there is not...

We've actually had discussions intermittantly about the safety or lack
of regarding EtBr, and I've seen others off-list between
old-as-the-hills molecular biologists.

Also, there's this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethidium_bromide#Health_risks

It does appear that, while EtBr is highly mutagenic in the Ames test
when treated with liver homogenate, there's little evidence that it has
the same level of mutagenicity in humans under normal circumstances.
The studies mentioned in the Wikipedia article do not appear to study
teratogenicity, so the safest option would be to assume it is a mild
to moderate teratogen, given its very mixed reputation: avoid exposure
months before making babies (either gender) or while pregnant.

However, all that said, EtBr is still regulated in some countries, I
think. I don't know whether it was law or merely policy, but EtBr had
to be handled by a waste disposal specialist in Ireland in my local
University. We had special decanters with activated charcoal teabags to
collect post-gel EtBr waste, and the "teabags" were sent for disposal.

Given its reputation, difficulty in acquisition in some places, dubious
legal standing, and the fact that you need UV to image (even seconds of
UV transillumination slash transformation/cloning efficiency rates), I'm
still in favour of alternatives like Sybr-Safe.

-Cathal

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