Phenol distillation

[Roy Dace]

Hello people,

I wonder if anyone can advise me:  I am about to start extracting DNA for
PCR RAPD's.  I have been advised that the easiest extraction in these
circumstances is an ordinary phenol/chloroform extraction, followed by
dialysis to get rid of remaining phenol.

My supervisor (thinking I just had reagent grade phenol) advised me to
redistill it before use.  I have distilled some (not a pleasant job) but
after an accident yesterday in which a flask of boiling phenol was broken,
I am reluctant to carry on.  Further, my supervisor has just discovered
that I do have AR grade phenol (from BDH) and suggests that further distill-
ation may not be necessary.

Can any of you suggest whether distillation of new AR phenol should be
necessary?

Thank you,
Hal