Skip Navigation

University at Buffalo - The State University of New York
  1. About
    1. Contact Us
    2. News, Alerts and Tips
  2. EH&S Programs
    1. Accident Reporting
    2. Asbestos and Lead
    3. Battery Recycling
    4. Biological Safety
    5. Chemical Safety
    6. Construction Safety
    7. Environmental Protection
    8. Fire and Life Safety
    9. General Safety
    10. Hazardous Waste
    11. Industrial Hygiene
    12. Laboratory Safety
    13. Public Health
    14. Radiation Safety
    15. EH&S Projects
    16. Small Claims
  3. Policies
    1. Building Evacuation Plans
    2. Campus Commitment to Safety
    3. Corridor Use Policy
    4. Excavation Marking and Dig Safely Procedure
    5. Guidelines for Drain Disposal of Lab Waste
    6. Lab Facilities & Equipment Servicing Release
    7. Outdoor Projects
    8. More...
  4. Forms
    1. Biosafety Forms
    2. Chemical Safety Forms
    3. Equipment Release Certification Form
    4. Fact Sheets
    5. Fire Safety Forms
    6. Hot Work Permit
    7. Laser Registration
    8. Material Safety Data Sheets
    9. Radiation Safety Forms
    10. Small Claims Incident Report Form
  5. Training
    1. Lab Safety Training
    2. Radiation Safety Training
    3. Right-to-Know Training

Home > Departments > Environment, Health & Safety > EH&S Programs > Chemical Safety > Managing Hazardous Chemical Waste > Ethidium Bromide Disposal

Ethidium Bromide

Ethidium Bromide Disposal Guidelines 

Failure to remove ethidium from solutions prior to disposal contaminates municipal wastewater systems and violates water discharge regulations for the Town of Amherst and the City of Buffalo (note that there are alternatives to using ethidium bromide - contact EH&S for more information).

Researchers concerned about discarding gels or solutions with concentrated amounts of ethidium bromide should treat them as hazardous waste.

Researcher's can choose to remove the ethidium bromide from dilute solutions. The benefit of doing so is a reduction in volume of liquid ethidium bromide waste and thus a savings on disposal costs for UB. For example, the University of Michigan realized a 25% cost reduction in their hazardous chemical waste disposal costs in this way. EH&S recommends the use of ethidium bromide waste reduction systems such as destaining bags or filter extractors:

Destaining bags offer a way to remove ethidium bromide from solution and gels for safe and easy disposal. Continental Lab Products, ICS BioExpress, BioWorld and others offers Ethidium bromide destaining bags. When you get to the sites, type "destaining bags" in Search and it will take you to the ordering page.

Another device designed to remove ethidium bromide is the S&S Extractor from Schleicher & Schuell or VWR. This device is designed to remove from up to 10 liters of gel staining solutions with >99% efficiency.

Whatever waste reduction system used, a written protocol should be developed. An example procedure would include the following steps:

Using destaining bags:

  1. Drop a destaining bag into your solution (or solution containing a gel).
  2. Periodically swirl it around a few times.
  3. Let it stand overnight.
  4. In the morning, remove the bag and place it in a properly labeled hazardous waste container.
  5. Perform UV check of the solution (and gel). If it no longer fluoresces, pour the solution down the drain - provided no other hazardous chemicals are present. Destained gels can be put into the trash - DO NOT PUT GELS DOWN THE SINK DRAIN.

Using filter extractors:

  1. Attach the extractor to a vacuum source via 1/4 - 1/2" vacuum tubing. Place a waste container under the extractor, making sure the extractor fits securely on top of the waste container that the waste solution is to be filtered into.
  2. Remove the cover of the extractor; apply vacuum while holding the unit. The solution (or solution containing a gel) may now be poured through the extractor.
  3. If the solution is viscous or partially gelled, a five percent urea solution may be added to dissolve gel.
  4. Perform UV check of the solution. If it no longer fluoresces, pour the solution down the drain - provided no other hazardous chemicals are present.
  5. Remove the filter (when spent or clogged) and place it in a properly labeled hazardous waste container.