We never had a kitchen microwave in the chemistry lab, but there was one in the adjacent office of our lab supervisor or in the break area in both the chemistry and biology labs at my former institution.  In my travels, in both the U.S. and other countries, there were usually kitchen microwaves in areas adjacent to the laboratory prep areas.

Needing to prepare solutions of non-flammable and non-hazardous materials such as soluble starch and polyvinyl alcohol for demonstrations and some limited classroom use, especially when traveling, I was able to prepare them quickly in the microwave.  My procedure was to make sure the initial volume was at 50% capacity of the container used (usually a Pyrex or similar beaker) and contents were at room temperature.  Initial heating was for 30 seconds, followed by opening the microwave and stirring with a non-metallic stirring rod, and then additional 30 second intervals, with stirring, until "solution" of the solute was evident.  If needed, additional 15 second heating intervals were used.  Solutions were never boiled or heated to boiling.  The procedure usually took several minutes.  Solutions had to be cooled before use.  This procedure was particularly useful when a soluble starch solution was needed for laboratory experiments in progress.

Should an individual desire to use this method, they should practice it to learn how the procedure works. I would never recommend a kitchen microwave for heating any flammable or hazardous material or for running any chemical reactions. 

David Katz

   

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From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU> on behalf of Jessica Martin <jessica.a.martin**At_Symbol_Here**UCONN.EDU>
Sent: Tuesday, January 24, 2023 6:31 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**Princeton.EDU>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Kitchen microwaves in experiments?

 

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,

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 Connecticut

323-327-3974

jessica.a.martin**At_Symbol_Here**uconn.edu

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicaannemartin/

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