REGULATIONS AND GENERAL LAB PROCEDURES
1. General Laboratory Procedures
Safety
1. All users of the laboratory facilities must have taken Lab Chemical Safety course. You can take the
course every semester from Dept. of environmental and science engineering or IERC.
2. Lab certification placards are located inside the entrance to IERC analysis lab (#309). These
provide information about emergency contacts. A complete chemical inventory can be found in the
chemical cabinet.
3. Users should become familiar with all emergency procedures, location of MSDS binder, location of
First Aid station, fire extinguishers and personal protective equipment.
4. Chemical disposal containers are located in the cabinet under the hood (#309).
5. Users should move filled chemical disposal containers to a waste water disposal plant by yourself
before your leaving.
6. Acid and basic neutralizing chemicals are located in the steel cabinet. Chemicals are classified and
labeled in accordance with the hazard potential of each chemical.
7. Always wear safety glasses, gloves and lab coats when handling acids or other toxic substances (If
you want to use goggles, please contact IERC staffs). Use the hood (#309) for mixing any
solutions that may produce toxic fumes. Also use the hood (#309) for any procedure in which
explosion or fire hazards exist.
8. If you spill concentrated acids, caustics or other toxic chemicals clean the area and report the
accident to IERC staff. If you have a serious spillage and IERC staff are absent, contact GIST
emergency staff (2000, 2112).
Handling Glassware
To prevent contamination, never touch inside or the rim of any test tube, beaker, flask, or bottle. Do
not touch stoppers (glass or otherwise) nor the inside of caps.
Glassware Usage
1. All users are responsible for cleaning their own glassware immediately after use. See
"Glassware Washing Procedures" for instructions. Soap should never be used to clean general-use
glassware.
2. Users must clearly label glassware with their initials and the contents before use. Use a Sharpie but
DO NOT mark on the white spot. No tape labels are to be used.
3. Glassware cabinets must be closed immediately after removing glassware.
4. Glassware should be rinsed with either deionized water or liquid to be contained before using.
5. DO NOT use surfactants in general-use glassware.
6. Glassware dedicated to contain a certain solution or reagent, especially those containing
surfactants, should be kept separate and not used for anything else. Glassware should be marked as
such with marker (and not washed off). In most cases, these require only rinsing between usage, not
acid washing.
7. Glassware used for organic analyses such as TOC, TN, TP (except volumetrics) should be heattreated as per analysis protocol.
Glass Pipets
1. Blow-out pipets have frosted glass bands. If these bands are absent, empty pipet by touching it to
the side of the vessel into which you are pipetting. Most of our serological pipets are blow out type.
2. All volumetric pipets are calibrated to deliver the correct volume by touching the pipet tip to glass.
Never blow out volumetric pipets. *Always use volumetric pipets for dilutions, not serological.
3. Always use the pipet size closet to that needed. Never pipet serial aliquots with a larger pipet.
4. Never touch the lower half of any pipet.
5. If possible, pipets should be rinsed at least once with the solution to be pipetted; especially
standards.
6. Lay pipets only on pipet racks, not on tabletop!
7. Immediately after use, rinse pipet and place tip up in pipets holder.
8. See "Glassware Washing Procedures" for instructions on pipet washing.
Adjustable Pipettors
Before using pipettors, users must either demonstrate proficiency or receive proper training from
IERC staff.
1. Fill pipet tip with smooth release of plunger from first stop so as not to cause "splashing" of reagent
into pipettor. Dispense with even, smooth motion, to second stop for accurate volumes. Depending
on the style of pipettor, pipet tips may either be ejected by depressing plunger to third stop or by
depressing a separate tip eject plunger. Whenever you use an autopipettor, please check whether the
bottom end of the pipettor is properly plugged with a filter tip.
2. Whenever possible, tips should be rinsed at least once with the solution to be pipetted; this is
especially important for standards.
3. NEVER lay pipettor down with liquid in tip.. not even small droplets!
4. Keep pipet tips in closed containers. Store pipettors upright on rack.
5. Read the instructions and practice using autopipettors before use.
※ Autopipettors should be calibrated by IERC staff on the routine basis (at least once a month).
Acids / Bases
1. All acids /bases >1N are to be stored in the respective cabinet under the hoods.
2. Handle concentrated acids /bases only with proper gloves. Work in hood and follow all safe
handling practices (wear protective clothing, equipment, etc.). Rinse outside of bottle before and
after use - and remember - ADD ACID TO WATER ONLY.
Dry Chemicals
1. Most dry chemicals are stored alphabetically in the cabinet.
2. Record the date a new chemical is received /opened on a complete chemical inventory book.
3. Use clean spatulas or (better) tap chemical onto weighing paper or weigh boat. Do not put excess
chemical back into stock bottle; dispose of properly. Return chemical to proper position on shelf
when finished.
4. Clean bench and balance properly (brush, wipe) when finished weighing.
Liquid Reagents
1. Never place anything (pipets) into a stock reagent bottle. Pour a small amount into cap or beaker
and then measure out what you need. Do not return the excess to the bottle-- discard it.
2. Date and initial all reagents that you prepare. Also include the full name of all ingredients and
concentration / expiration date where applicable. Do not use expired chemicals.
3. Always discard old reagents and rinse bottle with a small amount of fresh reagent before refilling
bottle with fresh reagents.
4. If you inadvertently fail to refrigerate a reagent that needs it, discard and remake.
5. After pouring a reagent, carefully wipe any drips from the outside of the bottle, especially the neck
and the threads. Be careful not to contaminate the reagent with the material used to wipe.
6. Users are required to prepare reagents that must be made fresh daily at the time of their analysis.
Users must note on whiteboard and alert IERC staff when a reagent is getting low.
Lab Supplies/Consumables
When a consumable supply is getting low, list it on a white board under "To Be Ordered" or "To Be
Prepared" and alert IERC staff so that it can be restocked.
Refrigerators
1. Keep all refrigerators clean and uncluttered.
2. No uncovered vessels, food or drinks to be stored here.
Sample Storage
1. All samples must be stored in an organized manner (within a box, etc.) and must be clearly labeled
with the date, owner's name, and telephone number.
2. Storage facilities are provided for users only while samples are being processed. Users must
remove samples when all analyses have been completed. Unclaimed samples will be disposed of by
IERC staff 30 days after notification.
Lab Hours / Access
IERC analysis lab is open around the clock from Monday to Friday. If you want to use any
instrument on weekends and holidays, contact the IERC staff for permission in advance.
(Users who want to use the IERC lab should get a key from IERC staffs and return a key by next day.)
※ Solid/liquid waste strategy of IERC
- Collection
1) Solid waste: toxic waste should be get into your own black plastic bags.
2) Liquid waste:
① Liquid wastes should be separate into the organic and inorganic/acid
② Users gather separated liquid wastes into chemical disposal containers.
③ Users write your name, advisor, a kind of chemical on your disposal container.
- Treatment
Users should move filled chemical disposal containers to a waste water disposal plant by yourself
before your leaving
- How to reservation for using instrument (GC-MS, LC-MS, ICP-MS)
Who want to use the IERC instrument contacts an instrument manager (for GC-MS and LC-MS: Seoyoung Kang (tjdud21@gist.ac.kr)) (for ICP-MS and HPLC: Sei-Young Kim (seiykim@gist.ac.kr)) by
e-mail.
You should submit the reservation form for the instrument using before two weeks every on the first
and third Friday.