[Histonet] DAB disposal

[John Kiernan]

A Google search brings up, at the top of the list, a 
note by H. Horn in Biotech Histochem. 2002 Jul;77(4):229.
http://taylorandfrancis.metapress.com/app/home/contribution.asp?wasp=1d8cff1kwr7qwg58al1y&referrer=parent&backto=issue,8,10;journal,11,19;linkingpublicationresults,1:105250,1

The second item (of 54) is a detailed protocol using permanganate 
(from the Histonet archives, no less), by K. Bowden, at:
http://www.histosearch.com/histonet/May03A/Re.DABremovalA.html

A few years ago there was much Histonet discussion of this
subject. Then (and now, too, it seems) nearly everyone
oxidized surplus DAB with bleach. Some evidence (or ?suspicion)
was cited, saying that the bleach + oxidized DAB mixture
might be mutagenic to bacteria. After oxidation of DAB by a
solution containing potassium permanganate and sulphuric acid,
the resulting goo did not threaten bacteria with mutation.
The inference, I think, is that if you drink the stuff, but
not enough to kill you, it won't give you cancer. 

Bleach and potassium permanganate are both good disinfectants, 
killing bacteria when quite dilute. One does wonder if 
testing such substances for mutagenicity is meaningful.
Be that as it may, acidified permanganate is the politically
correct way to get rid of DAB. It gets nearly a page in a book: 
Lunn G & Sansone EB (1990) Destruction of Hazardous Chemicals in 
the Laboratory. New York: Wiley, 271 pages. [I've not checked to
see if there is a more recent edition; it seems likely.] 

John Kiernan
London,  Canada.
-------------------
s bindu wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> In our lab, we are using bleaching powder as a neutralising agent for DAB.
> 
> Regards
> Bindu.S
> Research Assistant,
> Histopathology Lab
> SCTIMST,TVM.
> sbindu20002000 <@t> yahoo.co.in
> 
> 
> Yahoo! India Matrimony: Find your life partneronline.
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