question about making phenol/TE and

[Jose de las Heras]

"DK" <dk at no.email.thankstospam.net> wrote in message 
news:QJgPg.23$OC6.19 at newsfe07.lga...
> In article <4n5d3tF8o9hnU1 at individual.net>, "Jose de las Heras" 
> <josenet at tiscali.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>"Christian Praetorius" <prae at gmx.net> wrote in message
>>news:4n4vvqF8j66hU1 at individual.net...
>>> Zhiqun Li <li at lifesci.ucsb.edu> wrote:
>>>
>>>>I also tried to make phenol/water saturated buffer in the same time, the
>>>>aqueous phase is always staying below or close to 5, but not 5. I wonder
>>>
>>> Sorry, but why are you making this solution by yourself? This is
>>> something, that makes sense for a lot of buffers, but Phenol and
>>> Phenol/Chloroform are not along these buffers. Phenol is quite toxic,
>>> so buy this buffers in good quality from the usual suppliers.
>>>
>>> Christian
>>
>>I would second that.
>
> What's the big deal? Any lab is full of stuff that's 100X more toxic


It's not a *big* deal, but given the amounts we use in our lab, it's not a 
problem to pay a little extra and not having to go through the process, it's 
already equilibrated etc...

Same with ethidium bromide... why go through the potentially messy process 
of weighing and dissolving it, when you can get it already made. Again, for 
the amounts we use, it's affordable. It makes sense to me.

> than phenol. If a person can't handle phenol and the likes properly,
> that person should stay away from the lab for the reason of being a
> danger to oneself and everyone else around.

Have you heard of *accidents*?
Anybody can have one of these. Even the most experienced lab worker.

Jose