Acrylamide and bisacrylamide are monomers and neurotoxins. They can damage lab personnel. They are used for polyacrylamide gel preparation to separate proteins and low molecular weight acid nucleic. If substitutions are be found, they can be very useful.
Since the polymerized form is not toxic, many people have switched to purchasing precast gels. We can buy them at our institute for 10 euros each, which, if you consider the time saved by the technician, is affordable.
Dear Mark
Althought there are precast gels, but using of Acryl/BisA to produce gel is also common and used in many countries. Therefore, this danger is existed yet.
I refer all dear friends to the following articles in 20th centery:
1- Garland, T. O., and M. W. Patterson. "Six cases of acrylamide poisoning." British Medical Journal 4.5572 (1967): 134.
2- Fullerton, PAMELA M. "Electrophysiological and histological observations on peripheral nerves in acrylamide poisoning in man." Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry 32.3 (1969): 186.
3- Kesson, C. M., A. W. Baird, and D. H. Lawson. "Acrylamide poisoning." Postgraduate medical journal 53.615 (1977): 16-17.
and these ones in 21st centery:
1- Qin, Hong, Qinglian Xu, and G. J. Yang. "Analysis on an accident of group obscure acrylamide poisoning." Zhonghua Lao Dong Wei Sheng Zhi Ye Bing Za Zhi 28.1 (2010): 79-80.
2- Pennisi, Manuela, et al. "Neurotoxicity of Acrylamide in Exposed Workers." International journal of environmental research and public health 10.9 (2013): 3843-3854.
and ...
Hi this is a paper describing a potential alternative to acrylamide gels but only for DNA apparently (http://www.amsbio.com/productpage.aspx?code=9804-050-P&cty=UNITED KINGDOM&cur=GBP). It would be suitable for DNA gel run under native conditions to resolve fragments as little as 45 bp. (Vanek et al. 1995. Alternative to polyacrylamide gels improves the electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Biotechniques). I have not tried this matrix but it looks of interest.
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