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Subject: [DCHAS-L] Explosives in Research Safety classes
Date: Jan 26, 2023 23:40 UTC
Author: Neal Langerman <chemsaf**At_Symbol_Here**GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Lab Safety Course
Date: Jan 27, 2023 03:01 UTC
Author: Murphy, Dr. Ruth Ann <rmurphy**At_Symbol_Here**UMHB.EDU>
From: Samuella Sigmann <sigmannsb**At_Symbol_Here**RETIRED.APPSTATE.EDU>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Kitchen microwaves in experiments?
Date: Jan 27, 2023 01:41 UTC
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Message-ID: <9a00c028-c5ac-ba12-fc58-14b7d4ac20dc**At_Symbol_Here**retired.appstate.edu>
In-Reply-To: <37DA8BD7-D102-49B9-8BC8-129E3F84263C**At_Symbol_Here**uconn.edu>
Hello all,
I had a question come up from someone and wanted to get a perspective on this issue from the group here.
When I worked in 3 different molecular biology labs, we had a kitchen microwave available in the lab that we used in our work (it was labeled as “lab use only” so no one’s food was ever inside of it). From what I recall, we primarily used this to quickly heat up agarose for PCR gels - so I can’t think of any other uses off the top of my head.
From what I can recall, I have NEVER seen a kitchen microwave inside of a chemistry lab. Also, as a chemist, I personally wouldn’t even know what I would use a kitchen microwave for in a chemistry lab since the work I did required quite a bit of rather exacting control over temperature. Also, I worked with flammable liquids, so this just sounds dangerous (and pointless) to me to be putting that in a microwave. However, the person asking is thinking about it more in the context of educational demonstrations.
Does anyone here have some sort of policy in place at their institutions on the use of kitchen microwaves, either in educational demonstrations or in actual research labs?
Thanks!
Best,--- For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional membership chair at membership**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
Jessica A. Martin, Ph.D.NSF Graduate Research Fellow (2018-2021)Joint Safety Team, Founding Member (2018-2021)Pinkhassik Group, Department of Chemistry (2016-2021)University of Connecticut323-327-3974
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******************************************************************************
Samuella B. Sigmann, MS,
NRCC-CHO
Chair,
ACS
Committee on Chemical Safety
Fellow
& 2019 Chair, ACS
Division of Chemical Health & Safety
Appalachian State University,
Retired
Phone: 336 877 5147
Email: sigmannsb**At_Symbol_Here**retired.appstate.edu
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