Re: Uranyl Nitrate

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From:"R.Wadley" <s9803537@pop3.unsw.edu.au>
To:HistoNet@Pathology.swmed.edu
Reply-To:
Date:Fri, 23 Jul 1999 12:20:46 +1000
Content-Type:text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

	Dear Rita,

	In the good old days we used to flush it down the sink with plenty of
running water.

	Then we used to collect it in gallon plastic containers with waste lead
citrate & have the drums collected by a waste company.  However, I noticed
something, lead citrate has a high pH, this causes the low pH uranyl to
precipitate.

	When I last used uranyl & lead I would still combine the 2, but I would
periodically add an excess of NaOH conc solution.  This precipitates out
all the heavy metal & leaves you with a clear supernatant.  From time to
time the supernatant can be poured off (down the sink, plenty of running
water) & your container gradually fills with the precipitate.  This allows
use of a smaller (0.5 litre/1pint) container & fewer calls to the guy
hauling the chemical waste away.  

	I have heard of this method recommended by other EM operators.

	The other alternative is to extract the uranyl nitrate & re-use it.  This
is also true for osmium tetroxide & a whole lot of other nasties.  I've
never done it & could never justify the stress or the time.  If it can be
recycled let an expert do it.

	Regards

	Rob W.


At 12:07 PM 7/22/99 -0400, you wrote:
>Hello Histonetters,
>Can anyone suggest how I can dispose of  Uranyl Nitrate Solution, 1% w/v
>in water.  Manufactured by Sigma, Cat # HT101-1.
>Thank you in advance for your recommendations.


R. Wadley, B.App.Sc. M.L.S, Grad.Dip.Sc.MM
Laboratory Manager
Cellular Analysis Facility
School of Microbiology & Immunology
UNSW, New South Wales, Australia, 2052
Ph (BH) 	+61 (2) 9385 3517
Ph (AH)	+61 (2) 9555 1239
Fax 	+61 (2) 9385 1591
E-mail	r.wadley@unsw.edu.au
www	http://www.micro.unsw.edu.au/caf.html



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