Resources for teachers

See here for the supplementary Google ordering form for e.g. fresh supplies of fruit/veg, anything additional they need.  Each group completes one of these per week.  This avoids us overbuying foodstuffs, and allows students to request anything that’s not already available in the lab.  It also makes them plan ahead and get used to thinking about what they need in advance

Each group has a box containing their own stuff (i.e. anything they have requested); plus a laminated sheet of general and H&S info [text pasted at the bottom of this page]; MSDS forms for any chemicals they have requested; and a box of 500 x 1 cm filter paper discs (plus around 25 sterilised ones for them to use in the first session).

Students keep their materials in here from session to session; boxes are stored at 4 ^oC between sessions

Students have to make their own media and plates etc for this.  This gives them practice of preparing media, and also gets them used to planning ahead, as everything needs to be autoclaved well in advance of wanting to use it.  However, this is not possible in the first session, so the technical team provides a bottle of LB agar and a bottle of LB top agar per group to get them started.

Put out trays in each bay for students to place their stuff in.

1. Boxes for incubating at 37 ^oC overnight (then transferred by the technical team to the cold room)
2. Tray for stuff to be autoclaved.  Items are autoclaved by the technical team, then stored at 50 ^oC in the case of molten media until the next session

Students do their own kitchen equipment washing up!  Provide plenty of draining racks, washing up liquid, washing up brushes etc on the sinks

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IMPORTANT!  Please read the following before beginning your project

• The items you requested via the google ordering form are in this box.  Please alert a member of the prep team if anything is missing.
• A general safety information sheet has also been provided.  Any additional hazard information related to items you have requested can also be found in the box.  Please read all safety information carefully before starting; it is your responsibility to work safely
• Please note that if you give us anything for autoclaving it will not be returned to you until the following session, as the autoclave takes a long time to complete a cycle and cool down.  You will therefore need to plan ahead accordingly
• Not all items can withstand autoclaving (e.g. pestle and mortars) – please check before planning to autoclave anything!
• Ingredients have been provided for you to make your own media as required.  Media (including agar) should be prepared for autoclaving in BLUE-TOPPED DURAN BOTTLES ONLY.
• When labelling items for autoclaving, write on the autoclave tape itself, as writing on other surfaces can disappear during the autoclaving procedure
• Don’t forget to choose a STERILE container for growing cultures
• If helping yourselves to chemicals from the communal area, please decant some into e.g. a beaker, rather than taking the whole container back to your station – other groups might also need to use it.
• You should send your used laboratory glassware through the usual washing routes, but you will need to WASH ALL FOOD-RELATED EQUIPMENT YOURSELF (graters, pestle & mortars, chopping boards, juicers, zesters etc etc).  Washing up brushes and draining racks are provided.  THE ONLY EXCEPTION TO THIS IS KNIVES which should be left in your bay please.
• You should label every item you prepare with your GROUP (A or B), BAY NUMBER and GROUP NAME, otherwise we will struggle to return the items to you.
• Your group’s large box will be stored at 4 ^oC between sessions.  To do this we will need to stack them, so please do not overfill them
• There are several trays at the end of your bay, for different procedures or incubating at various temperatures.  Please check carefully that you are placing your items in the correct tray(s)!

Safety guidelines – please read!

Please carefully read these guidelines prior to starting your experimental work, and if in doubt about the safety of a particular chemical or procedure then always ask a demonstrator or a member of the technical team before proceeding.

Always read the safety labels on any chemicals you use, and if ordering specialist chemicals for your experiment always read the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) that is supplied.

If you are pregnant or suspect you may be then please let a member of staff know so that we can advise you on which chemicals to avoid using.

Solvents (e.g. ethanol, isopropanol or acetone)

• Do not heat these chemicals or expose them to an open flame (except for when using an ethanol bath and glass spreader)
• Do not flame plastic universal tubes containing flammable solvents
• Do not dispose of solvents down the drains, pour them into the solvent waste bottle provided (on one of the sinks).
• In addition to being flammable, isopropanol is toxic and you should wear gloves and goggles when handling to prevent exposure.
• Also in addition to being flammable, acetone causes serious eye irritation and you should wear goggles when handling.

Antibiotics

• Always wear gloves when handling antibiotic solutions
• Chloramphenicol is a suspected carcinogen at the concentration provided
• Kanamycin is toxic to the reproductive system at the concentration provided, and may cause damage to an unborn child or damage fertility.
• Ampicillin causes skin and respiratory sensitization (may cause an allergic reaction) at the concentration provided

Acids (e.g. Hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid)

• These are corrosive so always wear gloves and goggles when using concentrated acid solutions.
• When diluting acids you should always add acid to water and not the other way around. Doing this the wrong way will cause the acid to fizz and possibly spatter up out of the beaker.

Base solutions (e.g. Sodium hydroxide)

• Always wear gloves and goggles when using concentrated alkaline solutions and these are corrosive and can cause serious damage to your skin and eyes.

Other

• When carrying out the coconut/fruit extractions be careful with the knives as they are very sharp; do not walk around the lab carrying knives, leave them where they are placed within the bays.
• When breaking open the coconuts, first place them within a plastic bag before smashing it with the hammer, as this will prevent shards of the shell from flying everywhere and causing injury.  Wear goggles.
• Please be aware that the sand baths can become very hot and so always wear gloves, and where possible use tongs when placing and removing items. When hot, the sand may stick to your skin and cause serious burns.
• Do not overfill ethanol baths. Do not fill to more than a third full, otherwise you risk splashing burning ethanol onto the bench.