Trizol + Bleach = ?

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Trizol + Bleach = ?

Postby Tonino » May 30 2012 6:48 pm

Hi guys,
So I was doing an RNA/DNA extraction from some blood samples and I didn't need all of them, so I tossed a few of the aliquots with trizol into a tub of bleach. All of this was done in a fumehood, with gloves and a safety gown on.

I decided to stop and take a break, and when I was walking around the lab, I noticed my gown smelt really weird. Kinda like really strong bleach sort of smell, and I knew you wouldn't normally smell that (or would you?).
I quickly washed my forearms and got rid of the smell, but I am really worried now about my health. I learned afterwards that trizol and bleach should never be mixed (which I did not know). What sort of foul chemical reaction occurs? Have I put myself into grievous danger? Should I really be worried or was I just smelling the bleach residue on my gown?

I never got any of it on my skin, but the fact that I could still smell it even after I got out of the fumehood worries me.
Any feedback would be helpful.
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Re: Trizol + Bleach = ?

Postby mchlbrmn » May 30 2012 9:18 pm

Maybe you splashed a little bleach on your lab coat. If the bleach reacted it may have released chlorine gas. I suppose that's not the healthiest thing in the world, but it's too late now, and if a little bit could kill you bleach wouldn't be so widely used. (Don't worry; be happy.)
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Re: Trizol + Bleach = ?

Postby Onyourcase » Jun 02 2012 6:02 pm

Wiki suggests The haloform reaction can also occur inadvertently in domestic settings. Sodium hypochlorite solution (chlorine bleach) mixed with common household liquids such as acetone, butanone, ethanol, or isopropyl alcohol can produce some chloroform, in addition to other compounds such as chloroacetone(pungent used as a tear gas ) or dichloroacetone.

So my guess is chloroacetone
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