Ethidium bromide volatile in hot agarose solution?

Monique

Is ethidium bromide volatile in hot agarose solution? Some people add ethidium bromide to melted agarose solution, or reuse agarose containing ethidium bromide by melting it. If EtBr is heat-volatile, then it may pose danger to these persons. I always feel uncomfortable when remelting gels and avoid breathing in the air.. is there a real health hazard here?

iansmith

check this link out

http://micro.nwfsc.noaa.gov/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1524

hope it helps

Monique

Interesting, someone is on the same wavelength as me.. posted one day in advance..

Does anyone know the boiling point and vapour pressure of EtBR?

Another God

Tnanks so much for bringing that Forum to my attention Ian. That might really help me over the next couple of years as I start getting into the really technical side of Molecular Biology =)

iansmith

You're welcome

I have check this forum for a while but never used any of the information given. The guy that works with me has a good background in biotechnology and molecular biology but the forum migth be usefull later.

Van Gohg

There is another reagent for DNA labelling (I have never used it), its name is megafluor (EuroClone) and the toxicity is less than the EtBr, is not able to pass through cellular membranes and does not produce environmental pollution. It uses the standard electrophoretic techniques and transilluminators.
An alternative!