Cleaning RNA

How does one clean RNA contamination?

Two recommendations
First: 1%-2% of bleach/ sodium hypochlorite solution to 1-
2% Alconox® Powdered Precision Cleaner. Alconox powder is ideal for
manual, soak, and ultrasonic cleaning of glass, metal, and plastic
Second: Alternatively, 1% Detojet® Low Foaming Liquid Detergent
detergent can be used.
Neither method leaves interfering residues when properly rinsed
With Alconox +bleach or Detojet alone one will need to determine
surface contact time for removal of RNA below your requirements.
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 Cleaning DNA
How does one clean DNA
contamination?
DNA is stable to alkaline hydrolysis
Recommendation:
2% of Citrajet® Low-Foam Liquid Acid Cleaner/Rinse,
or Citranox® Liquid Acid Cleaner and Detergent, pH 2.5.
Acids at high temperatures are capable of breaking the DNA
molecule into its components.
Both are corrosion-inhibited for glassware, metals, and plastic. It
has rinse aids that leave no interfering residues on the surface.
Remember: NEVER MIX BLEACH AND ACID!
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 Surfactants and Microbes
How do surfactants affect microbes
First – Alconox Inc. Detergents are not registered with the
EPA and hence no claims of disinfection are made explicitly or
implicitly.
General review for a more specific video see:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sammorell_combating-the-
coronavirus-with-surfactants-activity-
6653749201232551939-IxRj
Soaps/detergents remove dirt and proteinaceous materials
Hand washing
Food processing surface cleaning
Medical instrument cleaning

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 Surfactants and Microbes
How do surfactants affect hydrophobic dirt?
Soap/detergent cleaning – how does it work?
Contains surfactant

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 Surfactants and Microbes
How do surfactants affect hydrophobic dirt
Surfactants migrate to the air/water or water/material of construction
interface…

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 Surfactants and Microbes
How do surfactants affect hydrophobic dirt
As the surfactant concentration rises over the critical micelle
concentration (CMC) the solution starts to look like below:

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 Surfactants and Microbes
How do surfactants affect hydrophobic dirt
Surfactants lower surface tension between interfaces and form micelles
like those forming below.
Blobs of oil emulsified in the little round micelles
rinse water coming in from the side and sweeping all the surfactants and
micelles away leaving a clean surface

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 Surfactants and Microbes
Why can surfactants be effective against microbes
such as that which shall remain nameless…
So…for example…let’s say you have an envelope
type of microbe…maybe even having lipid
bilayer envelope surrounding RNA with protein
spikes…I’m just saying…
Surfactants may interfere with microbes
bound up in dirt and debris can be cleaned away
emulsified and cleaned away
Lipid bilayer disruption

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 Surfactants and Microbes
Why can surfactants be effective against microbes
such as that which shall remain nameless…
What is that thing to the right of the screen? -->
Virus –Crown – gold cup like things
Black lipid bilayer
Gold squiggly in middle RNA – genetic stuff

taken from
https://medium.com/@edwardnirenb
erg/sars-cov-2-and-the-lessons-we-
have-to-learn-from-it-e2017fd5d3c

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 Surfactants and Microbes
Why can surfactants be effective against microbes
such as that which shall remain nameless…
What does this have to do with cleaners?
Bare with me….bear with me…or I am with beer
Those protein spikes and the lipid bilayer are
typically hydrophobic (hates water) in character
Typically microbes are found in saliva or other bodily
fluid medium/matrix and attracted to surfaces like
hands or surface
taken from
https://medium.com/@edwardnirenb
erg/sars-cov-2-and-the-lessons-we-
have-to-learn-from-it-e2017fd5d3c

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 Surfactants and Microbes
Why can detergents be effective against
microbes such as that which shall remain
nameless…
How can a detergent improve the disruptive
actions of that which shall not be named?
A detergent will have builders that tie up
calcium and other hardness ions to stop them
from precipitating out of solution and making a
soap scum
This is especially true using chelating additives
such as phosphates & EDTA that bind calcium

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 Surfactants and Microbes
Why can detergents be effective against
microbes such as that which shall remain
nameless…
wetting agents, dispersants, and possibly
enzymes would increase disruption of microbe
wetting agents penetrating under a dirty spot
to lift it into solution and form a micelle
emulsion
particle being surrounded by dispersants and
lifted into solution
Yes…I did say enzymes…maybe a protease?
Cue video please…..

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