"

From 2012.igem.org

We are following the official iGEM Safety instructions.

We are working at the platform of Institute of Systems and Synthetic Biology (iSSB), which is a research unit of Université d’Evry-Val-d’Essonne. It is fully equipped for bacterial genetics and molecular biology work in terms of devices and has typical Biosafety Level 1 laboratories. Our team is under daily supervision of Prof. Alfonso Jaramillo, the team direction of Bio-Synth Group of iSSB. We receive regular help as well from Prof. Ioana Popescu, engineer and hygiene and security correspondent, assisted by Dr. Dominique Zeliszewski, as well as from Thomas Landrain, a Ph.D. student working on site. All the iSSB research team is always around to help and advise us about good laboratory practices. Page à utiliser: http://wiki.issb.genopole.fr/index.php/HS:Main

a. Safety questions

1. Would any of your project ideas raise safety issues in terms of:

Researcher safety

Chassis

We are working with level 1 safety organisms, which are not dangerous for researchers:

• Escherichia coli: is the most commonly used gram-negative bacterial chassis in Molecular Biology. E. coli is commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded organisms (endotherms). E. coli can benefit their hosts by producing Vitamin K2,and by preventing the establishment of other pathogenic bacteria within the intestine. We work with DH5a and TOP 10 that are common laboratory strains, considered as Level 1 Biosafety Containment agent and are non-pathogenic. However researchers are advised to use standard laboratory safety equipment and procedures while handling the cultures including wearing lab coats, gloves, etc.
• Xenopus tropicalis: is a model organism for genetics, developmental biology, cell biology, toxicology, neuroscience and recently for synthetic biology. It is not dangerous for humans.

Dangerous substances

All the standard molecular biology protocols we use in our experimentation are not dangerous for the researchers. However, our team works with potentially dangerous substances:

• Ethidium Bromide (EtBr): is an intercalating agent commonly used as a fluorescent tag (nucleic acid stain) for agarose gel electrophoresis. Ethidium bromide may be a mutagen, carcinogen or teratogen although this depends on the organism and the conditions. EtBr intercalates double stranded DNA (i.e. inserts itself between the strands), deforming the DNA. This could affect DNA biological processes, like DNA replication and transcription. Acute health effects: May cause eye and skin irritation. May cause gastrointestinal irritation with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. May cause respiratory tract irritation. May cause methemoglobinemia, which is characterized by dizziness, drowsiness, headache, shortness of breath, cyanosis (bluish discoloration of skin due to deficient oxygenation of the blood), rapid heart rate and chocolate-brown blood. Chronic health effects: May cause methemoglobinemia, which is characterized by chocolate-brown colored blood, headache, weakness, dizziness, breath shortness, cyanosis (bluish skin due to deficient oxygenation of blood), rapid heart rate, unconsciousness and possible death. May alter genetic material. Hence, we do not wash the gel in EtBr solution. Instead, EtBr is added in minimal concentration to the agar solution before it solidifies. It is strictly observed that gloves are used when handling EtBr or EtBr-containing gel. Gels, EtBr-containing gloves and tips are discarded considering them to be 'Hazardous Waste'.
  Auxin extraction and identification methods such as HPLC, LC-MS/MS require using potentially dangerous substances. Lab coats, gloves are a must. Laminar hood is used when working with acetonitrile and methanol. Following there is a list of used chemical compounds for the mentioned methods and their potential health effects:
• Acetonitrile: inflammable liquid. Acute effects: Hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant), of eye contact (irritant), of ingestion, of inhalation. Slightly hazardous in case of skin contact (permeator). Severe over-exposure can result in death. Chronic effects: The substance is toxic to blood, kidneys, lungs, liver, mucous membranes, gastrointestinal tract, upper respiratory tract, skin, eyes, central nervous system (CNS). The substance may be toxic to the reproductive system. Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substance can produce target organs damage. Repeated exposure to a highly toxic material may produce general deterioration of health by an accumulation in one or many human organs.