I need to determine if a gel running area has been successfully decontaminated from EtBr and another area successfully decontaminated SybrSafe. I have checked both areas with a handheld lamp and I can’t see any flourescence. Form what I’ve read EtBr should fluoresce reddish/brown but I’m unsure if Sybrsafe will fluoresce without the presence of nucleic acids. I unfortunately don’t know the strength and wavelength of the lamp.
Has anyone experience of checking for residual EtBr/SybrSafe?
Hi Sarah,
You should use a UV lamp to make sure there's no EtBr o SybrSafe in that area. In my lab, we cleaned our EtBr area with soap and 70% EtOH, and later we checked if there was some EtBr with that UV lamp that I mention. However, if there's still EtBr you should clean the area with a decontamination solution, for instance: an aqueous solution containing 14g of sodium nitrite and 66,6 ml of acid hyphosphorous 50% in 1L. Then check again with the UV lamp.
I hope it's useful for you!
I am agree with Sergio... You can also clean are with swab (cotton) and dissolve it in ddwater in ependorf and check it under uv. The same you use to detect pcr product
Thanks for the tips! I will clean with a swab and if I detect anything I will carry out that decon method, if not I'll give a clean just in case.
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