UNIVERSITE LIBANAISE

Faculty of Sciences - II
Department: Life Sciences
Academic year: L2 Lab Work: Lab
management and
security

LAB SESSION II - GLP:

D. Biohazards Decontamination & Spill
Clean-up

DATE: _______________________

STUDENT NAMES
NBs:

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INTRODUCTION:

Decontamination is any process that reduces biohazardous material

(infectious agents, rDNA material, human material, biological toxins, etc)
to an acceptable level, one that is below the level necessary to cause
disease. Acceptable levels will depend on the biohazardous material in
question and the type of work being done.
In order to select the proper decontamination procedure, one must
consider many factors including; the biohazards concentration and
resistance to disinfectants, chemical compatibility with other materials
present, surface being decontaminated, and hazards to humans and the
environment associated with the disinfectant. Ineffective decontamination
can provide a false sense of security and spread disease.

LAB WORK:

You are presented with different scenarios in which a spill occurred in the
lab.
Give the correct response to allow the best clean up.

Spectrumofactivitiesofmainfamiliesof disinfectantandantiseptics.
Disinfectant Microorganisms
Gram+ Gram(-) Mycobacteria spores Fungi& Virus
bacteria yeast
Halogen +++ +++ ++ ++ +++ +
iodine
Halogen +++ +++ +/- + ++ +
chlorine
Alcohol +++ +++ ++ +/- +/- +/-
Aldehydes +++ +++ ++ ++ ++ ++
Quaternary +++ + +/- +/- +/- +/-
Ammonium
+++ highlyrecommended

++

+/- not recommended

*NOTE: Students may bring their BIOLOGICAL RISKS TD/TP Handout to

use as reference.

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References :
Biological Safety Principles and Practices edited by Diane Fleming &
Debra Hunt, ASM Press, Washington DC, 2000.
CDC/NIH Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories,
5th edition
Available chemicals for clean up:
Alcohol 90%
Bleach

1. What should you do before and when you enter the lab?

2. How to clean up a small and moderate spills outside the biological

safety cabinet of a mixture of bacteria (gram (+); (-) and
mycobacteria)? (materials required and procedure)

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.

3. What additional action should we do if it is a large spill in or outside

a BSC?

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.

4. How to inactivate your contaminated bacterial culture before

throwing it out? (materials required and procedure).

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