Biology at Sweet Briar

You should understand that you are not the only one using the laboratory facilities, the outdoor areas, and the equipment. Apply common sense and common courtesy to keep these resources available to everyone who needs to use them. Remember, the investigation ruined by sloppy practices could be your own!

As a biologist, you are expected to observe the following procedures.

Use of Reagents
Cleaning Glassware
Waste disposal
Equipment Use

The Cold Room (Guion 110)
Working with Animals
Field Work

Use of Reagents

	Be careful not to mix up the stoppers of reagent bottles.
	Never use the same pipet for different solutions.
	Use only a clean, dry spatula when weighing out a solid, and be sure to wash and dry the spatula before using it for a different chemical.
	Reagents that have been stored in a refrigerator or the cold room should be allowed to come to room temperature before being opened, otherwise moisture from the air will condense on the cold surface of the chemical.
	If the amount of a reagent or solution is getting low, tell the instructor or technical assistant so that the material may be replaced. Remember that it may take several days to get a new supply of a chemical, so don't wait until you have used it all up before telling the instructor.
	If you need to keep a solution you have made up more than a few hours, store it in a screw-cap bottle, not in a flask.
	All solutions must be clearly labeled with the name of the chemical, its concentration, the date it was made up, and your name. Inadequately labeled solutions will be discarded!

Cleaning Glassware

	Glassware is very difficult to clean if chemicals are allowed to dry on its surface; therefore, it is important to rinse all dirty glassware immediately, and to either wash it right away, or leave it to soak until it can be washed later.
	When you are done with a piece of glassware, remove all solid materials and labeling tape, rinse it thoroughly with tap water and place it in tap water to soak. In class, soaking pans will be available in the room. For independent projects, take your glassware to Guion 105, and leave it soaking in a dishpan next to the sink.
	Be sure all glassware is completely submerged and the inside of each piece is completely filled with water.
	DO NOT place sharp or metal objects (scalpels, needles, etc.) in the dirty dish buckets. Clean them yourself by rinsing thoroughly with tap water and then wiping dry.
	If using the automatic washer, follow the posted instructions.
	If washing glassware by hand, use this procedure:
	Wash in hot, soapy water, being especially sure to clean the inside by scrubbing with a brush.
	Rinse the glassware thoroughly—this is IMPORTANT!!!! A trace of detergent left on glassware may be enough to ruin your next experiment. Rinsing should consist of a minimum of 5 rinses with hot tap water and 1 rinse with distilled water.
	Let the glassware dry on either the pegboard or on a couple of layers of clean paper toweling, and put it away after it is dry.
	Glass- or plasticware used for live animals should either be put through the dishwasher, or hand washed without soap.

Waste disposal

	Objects such as used razors, scalpel blades, etc. should be disposed of in a special container, not thrown in the wastebasket.
	Slides, coverslips, and Pasteur pipets are disposable and may be discarded in the wastebasket.
	The laboratory sinks may be stopped up and even permanently damaged by improper use. Do not throw any solids (agar, paper, soil, small bits of plant or animal tissue, etc.) into the sink. An easy way to remove suspended solids from a liquid is to filter through paper towels or cheesecloth.
	The disposal of certain chemicals is regulated by law; adhere strictly to any special instructions you are given for disposing of such chemicals.

Equipment Use

	Be sure to follow instructions for the correct use of all equipment. If in doubt, check with the instructor.
	Leave the equipment and the surrounding area clean and ready for others to use.
	If you are doing an independent project and need to move a piece of equipment, you must first check with others who might be using this instrument. And always leave a signed note at the original location, indicating where you have moved the equipment to, and when it will be returned.
	If a piece of equipment seems to be malfunctioning, notify your instructor or the technical assistant immediately.

The Cold Room (Guion 110)

	No food or drink is to be stored in the cold room.
	Because space in the cold room is so limited, you must obtain permission before staking out a claim for yourself.
	Conserve energy by pulling the door to when you go inside; you don’t have to latch it shut, but don’t leave it wide open either. And make sure it is firmly closed when you leave.
	Check the temperature occasionally; it should be around 10° C. If it is significantly colder or warmer, notify your instructor or the technical assistant.

Working with Animals

	Neglect of animals for whose care you are responsible will result in a serious reduction of your grade. If an emergency prevents you from attending to the specimens, you must notify your instructor as promptly as possible.
	Living animals left over after an experiment must be disposed of humanely; check with your advisor for instructions. Do NOT release organisms into the wild.
	Dead or preserved animals should be securely wrapped in a plastic bag before being discarded. On Fridays, or other days before holidays, you must take the bag to the trash containers outside the building (at the greenhouse end of Guion).
	If you are working with marine animals, be sure to keep track of the Instant Ocean supply. It takes at least 24 hours before a fresh batch is ready for use.

Field Work

	The main consideration when working in the field is to disrupt the environment as little as possible: stay on established paths if you can; don't scare animals or pick plants just for the fun of it; and certainly don't leave a trail of litter behind you.
	Collect only as many specimens as you need, and if you have any left over, return them promptly to the same area where you found them (but see below).
	If you mark a study area with colored tape or flags, be sure to remove the markers when finished with your project.
	Logs or stones moved in the course of your study should be replaced; holes should be refilled.
	As a general rule, leave your study area as close as possible to the condition in which you found it.
	Do not release any living organisms into the wild that were lab-bred, manipulated in the lab, or obtained from another area. You may think you are being 'kind' to an animal to set it 'free' rather than killing it humanely, but you may be releasing the next major exotic pest, introducing a new pathogen into a wild population, or subjecting a released organism to a slow and painful death. Organisms collected from the wild and held in captivity for short periods may be able to be returned to their capture sites. Discuss your particular situation with an instructor.