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Team:CIDEB-UANL Mexico/HumanPractices/Safety
From 2012hs.igem.org
Would any of your project ideas raise safety issues in terms of researcher safety, public safety, or environmental g?
Our project does not raise any safety issues; we are working with E. coli strains that are specifically weakened for laboratory use.
In this project we mostly work with BioBricks, and we are following iGEM-HQ recommendations in order to prevent any risk.
Though several compounds we use have health hazards, we have researched every one of them to know the how can it affect the body, which precautions to take prevent them, and what to do in case someone comes in contact with said compounds.
Some precautions we take are: When using ethidium bromide (risks include: irritant to eyes, skin, mucus, and respiratory tract) we make sure the designated research zone is properly closed and we use the necessary protection.
When observing stained DNA, through the use of UV rays, we use special protection for the eyes.
While managing electrical devices and circuits, all members of the team were told to handle them with extreme care.
The project and any part of it are not considered as safety risks for the public, because, as said before, the bacteria that is being used is an E. Coli that was specially weakened for laboratory use. Furthermore, even though chemicals that may present safety risks are used within the project, they are only used within the research area, and are not presented to the public, only the final product, which presents no risk, is presented to the public. Furthermore, the aim of the project is the creation of a bacterium that can detect different concentrations of heavy metals in water, which only product is faint light that doesn’t represent any risk to the environment.
Do any of the new BioBrick parts (or devices) that you made this year raise any safety issues? No, the new biobricks are perfectly safe
Is there a local biosafety group, committee, or review board at your institution? If yes, what does your local biosafety group think about your project? No
Our project does not imply any additional risk to common laboratory work at any area, as "work is done with defined and characterized strains of viable microorganisms not known to consistently cause disease in healthy adult humans". Nevertheless, biosafety level 1 precautions are being fulfilled during wet-experiments as we are conscious there are common risks at any lab. Hazardous but common chemicals at the lab, such as Ethide Bromide and UV radiation, are handled with proper care and pertinent protection to minimize potential risks. Would the materials used in your project and/or your final product poses:
a. Risks to the safety and health of team members or others in the lab? No. Although bacteria carrying multiple antibiotic-resistance are being handled, they are all non-pathogenic E. coli K12 substrains.
b. Risks to the safety and health of the general public if released by design or accident? No. Even if some bacteria used in the project have temporary multiple antibiotic resistances, they are all weakened strains that cannot survive outside the lab.
c. Risks to environmental quality if released by design or accident?
No. The project aims to make a bacterium that can detect heavy metals in water, only releasing light, which is harmless to the environment.
d. Risks to security through malicious misuse by individuals, groups or states? No, it just detects different concentrations of heavy metals in water, which is just useful to see which uses can be given to said water.
Please explain your responses (whether yes or no) to these questions. Specifically, are any parts or devices in your project associated with (or known to cause):
- Pathogenicity, infectivity, or toxicity? No, none of the substances produced during the project are pathogenic, non toxic non infective.
- Threats to environmental quality? No. Our project does not involve the production of any hazardous nor potentially harmful substances.
- Security concerns? No. Our project does not involve the production of any hazardous nor potentially harmful substances.
