General Safety

I. Basic Safety Information

The experimental work of this project is conducted in a molecular biology laboratory, which is classified as a "Biosafety Level 1 (BSL-1) Laboratory" and managed by Dr. Dong. The materials used in the experiment are non-pathogenic and will not cause diseases in humans or most animals, and all operations are carried out under the supervision of professional teachers. To ensure project safety, two conventional bacterial strains, E. coli TOP10 and Rosetta, are selected for the experiment, reducing risks from the source of experimental materials. The team has implemented a full set of safety protection measures to ensure that experimental operations neither harm the environment nor pose a threat to human health.

II. Core Safety Operation Requirements

  1. Before the start of the experiment, all team members have signed the Summer Experimental Safety Informed Consent Form under the guidance of laboratory teachers, committing to strictly follow laboratory safety guidelines and standardize the use of various experimental equipment.

  2. At the end of the experiment, items must be handled in accordance with standard procedures: glassware is first disinfected with alcohol, then cleaned with detergent, and finally rinsed with ultrapure water; chemical waste must be placed in dedicated containers for biohazardous waste; chemical reagents and glassware must be sterilized using an autoclave.

  3. The acidic dye (4s Green Nucleic Acid Stain) used in the experiment has been assessed for safety and is classified as low-risk.

III. Safety Instructions for Experimental Products

  1. The experimental products are bacterial expression products, with the core components being enzymes involved in subsequent reactions. These enzymes are non-toxic, non-pathogenic, and their safety has been verified.

  2. The products prepared in the laboratory are only used for internal experimental procedures and will not be released into the external environment. The genetically engineered E. coli strains used are non-pathogenic and do not produce endotoxins, meeting the basic safety standards in the biopharmaceutical field and can be safely used for experimental research.

IV. Core Value of Products

As novel functional sugar substitutes, FOS (fructooligosaccharides) and AOS (arabinooligosaccharides) have three core advantages: first, they have good physiological compatibility and are suitable for application as food additives; second, they are less likely to cause significant fluctuations in blood glucose and have low calorie content, meeting the needs of a healthy diet; third, they possess prebiotic activity, which can regulate the balance of intestinal flora, and at the same time have a certain antioxidant capacity, showing potential application value in the field of functional foods.

V. Laboratory Safety Management Rules

To ensure the safety of laboratory personnel, the integrity of equipment, prevent safety accidents caused by human operations, and reduce casualties and property losses, these management rules are formulated. All personnel entering the laboratory must strictly abide by them.

(I) Basic Principles

All personnel must firmly establish the awareness of "three safety responsibilities"—being responsible for their own safety, the safety of laboratory colleagues, and the safety of laboratory equipment. At the same time, they should strengthen their understanding of biosafety in biological laboratories to ensure the safe and orderly conduct of all laboratory work.

(II) Personal Protection Specifications

  1. When entering the laboratory to work, it is mandatory to wear a lab coat. When leaving the laboratory, the lab coat must be taken off and left indoors; wearing the lab coat into public areas such as offices and corridors is prohibited.

  2. When hands may come into contact with infectious materials, contaminated surfaces, or equipment, disposable gloves must be worn, and they can only be removed after the entire experiment is completed. During the period of wearing gloves and before removing them, gloves must not be used to touch exposed skin of oneself or others, nor should they come into contact with non-experimental items such as water cups and mobile phones. Wearing gloves to leave the laboratory or touch items in public areas such as door handles and elevator buttons is prohibited. Disposable gloves must be discarded immediately after use; cleaning and reusing them is strictly forbidden.

  3. If there is a risk of liquid splashing, solid particle ejection, or other hazards during the experiment, goggles must be worn to prevent eye injuries.

  4. When conducting experiments involving toxic and harmful gases or volatile liquids, operations must be carried out in a fume hood to avoid the diffusion of harmful gases.

(III) Experimental Operation and Item Management

  1. Properly store and use laboratory instruments and equipment; unauthorized operation or intentional damage is prohibited. Those who cause equipment damage due to subjective mistakes or violations of regulations shall compensate according to the actual value of the equipment.

  2. Use experimental consumables reasonably; waste or unauthorized use is prohibited. Those who cause excessive consumption of consumables due to subjective reasons and with serious circumstances shall compensate according to the cost price of the consumables.

  3. Before starting an experiment, it is necessary to clarify the experimental objectives, master the experimental principles, and be familiar with the operating procedures. Before using instruments and equipment, it is necessary to understand the equipment performance, operating methods, and safety precautions.

  4. During the experiment, follow the guidance of teachers; unauthorized modification of experimental procedures or operation of unauthorized equipment is prohibited.

(IV) Laboratory Discipline and Post-Experiment Requirements

  1. All instruments, equipment, and items in the laboratory are prohibited from being taken out privately. If equipment damage or item loss is found, it must be reported to the teacher immediately. Those who conceal the situation and are found later shall bear double compensation liability.

  2. Abide by laboratory discipline; noise, chasing, and frolicking in the laboratory are prohibited. The use of instruments, medicines, or items unrelated to the experiment is prohibited.

  3. Respect the intellectual property rights and experimental results of others; without permission, do not read or take photos of others' experimental records, or arbitrarily operate others' experimental materials or equipment in use.

  4. Eating, smoking, putting on/taking off contact lenses, and applying makeup in the laboratory are strictly prohibited to eliminate potential safety hazards and pollution risks.

  5. After the experiment, check the status of the instruments, ensure that the instruments are placed neatly, and clean the experimental workbench before leaving.

  6. Before leaving the laboratory, close the doors and windows, and put waste paper, debris, etc. generated during the experiment into dedicated trash cans, or take them out of the laboratory for proper disposal by yourself.