Safety Handling of ³⁵S-Labeled Amino Acids in the Cell Culture Using the Charcoal Sheet

Abstract

New method for preventing contamination of an incubator with ³⁵S in cell culture experiment was developed and successfully applied to actual experiment. Large radionuclide contamination in water in a humidification vat and on inner surface of an incubator was generally detected in cell culture experiment using amino acids labeled with ³⁵S. We constructed a plastic vessel for home use installed with charcoal sheets at the bottom and its cap. Experimental cells were cultivated with ³⁵S-labeled amino acid in dishes put into the vessel that was placed in the incubator. The charcoal sheet was quite effective to prevent ³⁵S dispersion from the vessel, and no contamination was detected in the humidification vat and inner surface of the incubator. The charcoal sheets adsorbed large amount of ³⁵S, and showed the effectiveness of the present method.