Is Ethidium Bromide in Gel Harmful? Concerns About Accidental Exposure

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Ethidium bromide (EtBr) in a hardened gel poses minimal risk if accidentally touched, especially at a dilution of 6 micro liters in a 300 mL solution. Immediate washing with soap and water is effective in mitigating potential exposure effects. While there are no specific OSHA guidelines for EtBr exposure, the consensus is that the risk of serious harm is low in this scenario. Concerns about skin exposure leading to mutations are largely unfounded, as the skin's outer layer provides a barrier, and any potential genotoxic effects are not relevant for dead skin cells. It is always recommended to wear gloves when handling EtBr and related materials to prevent contamination. For future reference, using warm water and mild soap is advised for washing off any chemical exposure to avoid skin irritation.
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How dangerous is ethidium bromide in a hardened gel? I touched it (the hardened gel) with my bare hands (accident) and immediately proceeded to wash thoroughly with soap and water. haha am i going to be fine? This was 6 micro liters of EtBr in a 300 mL solution. Thx a lot in advance.
 
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Oddly, the OSHA website has no exposure guidelines regarding ethidium bromide, but I think you should be safe at that dilution. If it was pure, you'd be in trouble.
 
Since it was already diluted and mostly trapped in the gel and you washed your hands right away (and I'm assuming you just bumped it lightly if it was an accident), you should be fine.

As a general note (in case you didn't already know this), if you do expose yourself to something and want to wash it off, use warm water, not hot or cold, and mild handsoap, not strong detergent...you don't want to irritate or break the skin, which would make the exposure worse.
 
Ali00 said:
How dangerous is ethidium bromide in a hardened gel? I touched it (the hardened gel) with my bare hands (accident) and immediately proceeded to wash thoroughly with soap and water. haha am i going to be fine? This was 6 micro liters of EtBr in a 300 mL solution. Thx a lot in advance.
If you weren't fine, why would you laugh like that ?

PS>I know Ali means Ant in Japanese but since only crazy alpha creatures, I supposed I called ants, will always use or follow people's style like "detective oo7" where it should be "007" instead.
Ideas ?
 
Did anyone understand what she just said?
 
apparently anaylsing both your nickname and your post..

hey, you're still alive! Must be ok then lol
 
lol, she lost me w/ the alpha animals. anywho, I'm just afraid of being mutated or something, but it was just in a gel, so i guess its all good. Thx a lot for the advice you guys.
 
Probably nothing will happen. Skin on hands is relatively thick and has high stratum corneum. Potential genotoxic effect is not relevant in case of dead desquamating cells. I am sure You have already washed it with soap and warm water, don't worry

Probably You have seen this:
http://www.ehs.washington.edu/updates/TipsEthidium.htm

Auiam
 
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Ali00 said:
lol, she lost me w/ the alpha animals. anywho, I'm just afraid of being mutated or something, but it was just in a gel, so i guess its all good. Thx a lot for the advice you guys.
I think the above link's *personal protection* is what you should read more carefully. :wink:
 
  • #10
how would someone know whether they had been contaminated with ethidium bromide. what would happen to the skin?
 
  • #11
does anyone know? please tell me
 
  • #12
Ethidium bromide binds to DNA. You use it in gels to label the DNA (it will fluoresce under UV light). So, the danger is if you expose yourself that you will either kill cells by binding up the DNA or mutate them. Nothing would be immediately obvious about the exposure to skin, but if exposed in large amounts, it is toxic. Just always wear gloves when handling ethidium bromide or gel apparati that has been used with ethidium bromide (just to be extra careful in our lab, we even keep a separate flask just for making gels in case there is any ethidium bromide residue on it, we all know to wear gloves to touch that one, even if it should be clean).
 
  • #13
thx moonbear I'm just a little shaken after working with it so much. i always have gloves on but I'm not sure if my skin had ever been exposed to it. :(
 
  • #14
Don't worry if you've been wearing gloves, just remember to consider things contaminated if you're not the only person dealing with equipment.
 

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