Re: Fluorescent material for student lab

From: Christopher S Boyce (csboyce@beckman.com)
Date: Fri Feb 05 1999 - 12:20:11 EST


---------------------- Forwarded by Christopher S Boyce/BII on 02/05/99
09:06 AM ---------------------------


"MosimV" <MosimV@email.msn.com> on 02/03/99 05:25:41 PM

To: cyto-inbox
cc:    (bcc: Christopher S Boyce/BII)
Subject:  Re: Fluorescent material for student lab





In response to Margaret's question:

>I have designed a student lab to illustrate the necessity for precautions
>while handling hazardous material.  I am after a (harmless) liquid
reagent,
>which looks unremarkable under room light, but will fluoresce under UV
>light.  The idea is that the students perform various manipulations, and
at
>the end, we shine UV light around to show them how much spillage they've
>had, and how their books, faces etc are likely to be contaminated.  I got
>the idea from a radiactive safety video, but am having trouble finding a
>suitable liquid.  Any ideas?

Don't ask me why I know this, but there is actually a company that sell
such
a product, in a kit form.  It's called Glo Germ, and is used to demonstrate
the importance of handwashing, etc.  It is essentiall a liquid product, oil
based I think, that contains little UV beads which illuminate with weak UV
excitation.  They have a pretty good web site at  www.glogerm.com if you
want more info.
Hope this helps!

Viki Mosiman






Some ordinary laundry detergents (like the brand "All") which have
brighteners in the solution, will fluoresce under black (near UV)  and UV
light.   Give it a try.  It is inexpensive, and you can play with lots of
it, spilling it about, pouring in tubes, it is viscous, and sometimes a
challenge to handle.   Be sure to pick a detergent that claims to be a
non-bleaching whitener (brightener).  Yes our laundry
detergents can make us glow.

Chrsitopher Boyce
Hybritech
San Diego, CA



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