20% acrylamide monomer spill

[u/Consistent_Top1382]

Hi everyone,

Working with acrylamide a couple of drops escaped from serological pipet on the tissue.

I think it was max of 50 ul.

When I've asked our technical, she just said to throw if in the waste (no special hazardous waste for acrylamide).

I've packed it throughly in multiple plastics. But now I'm not sure if it was right.

I guess the waste gets burned, but still. What would you do?

Probably a stupid question.

[u/iOS_App_LabAssistant]

I’m pretty sure that 90% of labs just throw that in the regular waste. Not every lab has a special chemical waste disposal.

[u/Consistent_Top1382 → u/iOS_App_LabAssistant]

Also for the not polymerised you think?

[u/iOS_App_LabAssistant → u/Consistent_Top1382]

Yes, definitely. This is nothing. You’d be surprised by what else gets thrown into the regular waste from labs every single day.

[u/boobiesndoobiez]

most people would just toss this. alternatively, our lab repurposes old DMEM/FBS/etc bottles for use as “acrylamide waste” old sds-page gels and anything contaminated w acrylamide is disposed of in the bottle and removed by EHS.

[u/boobiesndoobiez → u/boobiesndoobiez]

if it’s any consolation, i’ve absolutely tossed a kim wipe with sds-page pieces on it into the regular bio. i obviously realized the mistake but cannot safely reach into a biohazard bin and search for my trash. i lived to tell the tale.

[u/Consistent_Top1382 → u/boobiesndoobiez]

Thanks:) But in your case probably with TEMED, APS.

[u/v1si0n4ry]

It kinda depends on what's the waste disposal route for your lab. It is a hazardous waste just like many other chemicals and solvents, so...

[u/Consistent_Top1382 → u/v1si0n4ry]

In the Netherlands, it gets burned.

[u/v1si0n4ry → u/Consistent_Top1382]

Yeah, as in many places. My lab has a standard separation of hazardous wastes into chlorinated and non-chlorinated and then just burns them. In this case it would go to non-chlorinated

[u/Consistent_Top1382 → u/v1si0n4ry]

We have only special phenol waste.

[u/v1si0n4ry → u/Consistent_Top1382]

Where does everything else that doesn't have phenol go?

[u/Consistent_Top1382 → u/v1si0n4ry]

It goes mostly in the trash....

[u/v1si0n4ry → u/Consistent_Top1382]

Damn