Australia's Science Forum

My head teacher wants me to make the set-up myself using takeaway containers, agar and alfoil electrodes. I may have a nervous breakdown.

Hi there,

Does anyone have a simple method to prepare the set-up for gel electrophoresis? My head teacher has handed me a scientific article to use as my guide and it's not particularly helpful. It's a big ask I know, but any tips would be most welcome. Thanks!

I just googled it. Barium should have a yellow-green or lime green flame. There are also tests you can do to determine the presence of barium and sulfate ions. I"d probably just mark it for disposal (although even that is dodgy if you're not sure what it is!). Good luck.

Has everyone heard of REDcycle? Plastic bags, cling wrap, bubble wrap and even chippy bags can be recycled. Collection points at most Coles and Woolies stores - check the REDcycle website for more details on collection points and recyclable materials.

Clearly not. Nonetheless, my school uses the canisters. I still end washing a lot of zip-lock bags for other stuff, so I'm fine with it either way.

You can remagnetise old magnets with the neodymium magnets. I haven't actually tried it yet, but I saw it on YouTube. Maybe it'll work to strengthen the dodgy ones too. You can only try.

GREAT to hear someone else is obsessed with the reduce reuse recycle mantra. I've got soft plastic recycling, recycling and compost bins in the prep room but I still need to remind people about them. We use the film canisters too, but with Alka-Seltzer and vinegar. Keep up the good work, Prima!

I'd try posting this question on Science Assist for Teresa Gigengack.

I've been doing a bit of research and it is best to keep the waste streams separate (i.e. don't mix the metals together) in order to facilitate decontamination. The best advice would come from the company picking up your waste. This is so interesting! I'm horrified at the stuff I was putting down th...

I ended up posting a question on the Science Assist website and the science technician support officer called me back. Now I have a shipload of information!!! Well worth it, as I was about to chuck some zinc nitrate down the drain. This was okay according to my ancient copy of CSIS. I now know it ne...

Hi, I just have a few questions. Where is the disposal info on RiskAssess? Which chromates/dichromates are you collecting? I can find info in CSIS that states it's okay to go down the drain. (Hard copy - possibly out of date). Which copper compounds are you collecting? I use steel wool to displace t...

The bell disappeared from the bell jar somehow, so we put a phone in and call it. Works beautifully. We've got an oil-free pump, no brand markings on it I'm afraid.

Hi Happy Labby,

No, sorry, I can't help you with that. We didn't use a spectrometer.

Marama

Hi mtg,
There are lots of recipes online. Basically just add iron filings or some other magnetic compound to slime. It's fun to play with. You need neodymium (or other rare earth) magnets. I've not heard of it being conductive as well as magnetic, but that sound like it's worth investigating.
Marama

Hi Kathryn,

Official shelf life doesn't always indicate loss of reactivity. I'm still using the same solutions three or four years later with good results.

Marama

Hi Helen,
We got ours from Haines. $4.50 each.

Hi. We bought a distiller from a brewing shop about two years ago. It was $280, but has paid for itself twice over because we were being charged so much freight on the only distilled water I could find. Good luck!

Good luck! I'm so glad you asked this question. My Hanna kits contain some of the sodium azide too, which is banned in DET schools. Extremely toxic if ingested or absorbed by the skin, needs to be carefully stored until collected for disposal. Crikey!

Hang on, I've got a Hanna kit here. Are they manganese sulfate monohydrate, sulfuric acid, sodium azide, and sodium hydroxide?