MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

Hi all,

I came across this prepared slide kit online, and having never owned any of these before, I wanted to check how safe these are to use, and if there are any known legal concerns when owning these? (Though I assume this is likely country-specific).

For example, the prepared slide of Anthrax would certainly be of concern if it were a live sample. Is it safe to assume all of these have been sterilized to a point where the bacteria no longer pose a threat? The website offers little information about this. Any insight would be appreciated.

Cheers!

A very good question, considering that many living things are able to survive so well, perhaps even beneath a coverslip for a century?
I too have seen such slides and wondered as you.
Someone here will very likely have a good answer, watching-out for it!

Whilst not specifically about prepared slides ... here is some guidance from the UK HSE
https://www.hsl.gov.uk/media/1454159/ne ... %20(1).pdf

MichaelG.

Usually people who have access to these bacteria know how to make sterile slides from them and do so. On the other hand side errors happen: A guy told me once that he pushed a trolley full of dangerous samples once around a university after being told that they had been in the autoclave - only they weren't!

Bob

I had the same question about some anthrax slides I found in an antique store years ago. I asked a friend who studied and worked with anthrax and other deadly bacteria and viruses his whole life.
This was his reply,

"I would not take chances with anthrax.
If they were vegetative cells, chances are all they were killed by fixing. BUT if there were some spores, chances are that some may remain viable. Some spores were found viable in coverslips 40-50 years after making the slides and longer after cover them with salt and chlorine buried in pitts in Russia.
Do not take chances and sterilize. Be aware that you have a controlled substance and it could bring you countless headaches to dispose them through the official channels.
Give me a call if needed"

So it's up to you if you want to mess with them but I decided I didn't need it in my life.

Kirby

Hi Kirby,
that is valuable information!
Since there is not much to see with the light microscope when observing bacteria slides it really isn't worth any risk.

Bob

Kirby, thank you for the valuable information!

Sir wrote: ↑

Sun Oct 18, 2020 6:30 am

Kirby, thank you for the valuable information!

You're welcome and thanks for saying thanks!

Kirby

WHY I WASH DOWN USED MICROSCOPES WITH ALCOHOL AND GUN CLEANER

WHO KNOWS WHAT'S ON THERE

It's a very good idea to disinfect used scientific instruments especially if you don't know their history. However if you're going to go through the trouble you might as well use s disinfectant that will kill everything.

Again this advice was shared with me by someone who knows much more than I.

The gun cleaning solvent probably not a very good disinfectant. I certainly wouldn't count on it If using alcohol make sure it's 70% and keep in mind it may not be effective against spores (assume it's not). 5% bleach where appropriate or 5% hp would be better on knobs and stages.

Kirby