Chemical Safety in DIYbio
If chemical safety was modeled after economic policy, many biology labs would follow a laissez-faire approach. Don’t get me wrong—I don’t blame the biologists. I blame the “kit”-ification of most of their experiments. Calling something “Wash Buffer B” abstracts away from proper chemical names. If you have to dig through fine print to find the ingredients, you have no way of knowing how hazardous it might (or might not) be.
Many DIYbio labs don’t have to deal with chemical reagents, so biological safety[1] is the primary concern. But if you need more than ethanol and bleach to run a lab, you should know some basic chemical safety skills.
PPE: Personal Protective Equipment
The first step is (obviously) to protect yourself. If you’re handling a chemical, you should at least wear safety glasses and gloves. By the way, not all gloves are created equal. For aqueous (water-based) solutions, latex gloves work just fine. If you’re handling a powdery chemical or organic solvent, you’ll want nitrile gloves (which are more chemically resistant).[2]
Pro Tip
A chemical’s material safety data sheet (MSDS) specifies the best type and thickness of glove to use.
Rookie Tip
If the glove rips when you’re trying to put it on, it’s too thin.
Preferably, you’ll be wearing a lab coat ...
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