Safety

     Safety is crucial when carrying out experiments in a laboratory, when using chemical substances, and when manipulating GMOs. We followed the provisions of The Biosafety Law of the People's Republic of China and The United Nations Convention on Biological and Toxin Weapons.

Laboratory Safety

    Throughout the entire project process, all of our experiments were carried out strictly in the laboratory. We conducted experiments in specific areas and equipment, including biosafety cabinets, chemical fume hoods, and so on.

    We took protective measures to ensure our safety. Each member had to receive safety training and wear laboratory coats, closed-toe shoes, and gloves to enter the laboratory. Eating, drinking, smoking, applying makeup, wearing contact lenses, and wearing open-toed shoes were prohibited in the laboratory. Hands must be washed before and after experiments. Additionally, we also carried out sterilization to prevent the escape of strains from the laboratory.

（Figure 1 Workspace）

Safety Rules Exchange

    At the Hubei University IGEM meeting, we consulted Professor Wei-Zhao Chen from Shenzhen University on the many safety rules in the iGEM competition. Based on his advice and the relevant requirements on the official website, we improved and optimized our solution, and clarified the standardization of laboratory practices and handling of potentially harmful substances. In addition to biological safety risks, we also discussed other risk control measures in the project management process.

（Figure 2 Conference communication）

Microbial Waste Management System

    In order to properly and effectively dispose of microbial waste, prevent environmental pollution and harm to human health, and protect the safety of laboratory personnel, this system is established.

Article 1     When handling infectious or potentially hazardous waste, gloves, masks, and protective clothing must be worn.
Article 2     General solid waste without recyclable value can be directly disposed of in the garbage bin. For general liquid waste without recyclable value and non-flammable volatile substances, it can be directly discharged through the sewage system. Flammable volatile substances should be sprinkled in designated outdoor areas (open areas).
Article 3     Reusable contaminated items such as Petri dishes and test tubes should be uniformly cleaned by laboratory cleaning personnel after being sterilized at 121°C and high pressure for 30 minutes. After the cleaning is completed, they should be sterilized again at 170°C and dried for 2 hours, and then cooled for future use. Gun tips that cannot be sterilized by dry heat should be placed in a special gun box and saved after being sterilized at 121°C and high pressure for 30 minutes.
Article 4     Non-reusable contaminated materials such as agar medium and diluted bacterial culture should be sterilized at 121°C and high pressure for 30 minutes, packed in special plastic bags, securely sealed, and then placed in dedicated trash cans for further disposal by waste management companies.
Article 5      Nutrient-rich waste can be directly placed in special plastic bags without sterilization and then treated in the same manner as contaminated waste.
Article 6     The aseptic area should keep records, including 1) records of cleanliness testing in the clean area; 2) regular monitoring and recording of sedimentation bacteria count in the clean area; 3) records of microbial waste disposal.

Laboratory Biosafety

    Our project involves basic genetic manipulation on Zymomonas mobilis. We have read articles about Zymomonas mobilis, which report that it is considered as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) strain. In addition, according to DSMZ, it is classified as risk group 1 with low potential risk. In our wet laboratory, all upstream genetic engineering operations, such as transformation, vector expression, and protein characterization, strictly adhere to regulations and are supervised by mentors or senior graduate students. We also selected common laboratory strain, Escherichia coli, with rich experimental experience on it.

（Figure 3 DSMZ classification of Zymomonas mobilis）