From: Jennifer Gile <jen.gile**At_Symbol_Here**GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] ether for anesthetizing fruit flies
Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2020 09:41:31 -0500
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: CAGi+xFoCd5a7NuTjTC+5gz5sEHeq-H0KwkOwT=EhdabTGh017g**At_Symbol_Here**mail.gmail.com
In-Reply-To


Hello Ellen,

When I was a student we used CO2 "Fly pads" - these were small bases hooked up to a carbon dioxide (gas) tank that would run small amounts of CO2. It worked great - my classes were usually closer to 30 in number with us working in small groups of 3-5 students. I've also used cooling flies in the fridge as a means of moving them and working with them with good results.

The Biology Dept at my current job uses "Fly nap" Caroline Biological sells anesthetic kits. (Not an endorsement, just an observation) Vials of flies are dosed by a bit of the fly nap on a cotton wool / q-tip inserted in the side of the tube between the foam "cap" and the wall of the vial.

Good luck!

On Tue, Feb 4, 2020 at 6:08 PM Ellen M. Sweet <ems325**At_Symbol_Here**cornell.edu> wrote:

Hi everyone,

We are looking to renovate a Genetics teaching lab that has the students using ethyl ether to put fruit flies asleep. This is a common method of doing this, put certainly has its drawbacks when you consider the ventilation strategy (ether vapor is very heavy).

I'm wondering if anyone has been successful in having 12-14 student stations using this chemical in a teaching setting (on the bench) and keeping the exposures and smell down? Keeping in mind that fruit flies will get sucked up into local exhaust if they are too close!-

In addition to floor level exhaust diffusers, what else would you recommend and how many air exchanges for the room?

Thanks!

Ellen

P.S. I'm pushing for CO2, but may not get what I want.

Ellen Sweet

Laboratory Ventilation Specialist

Department of Environmental Health and Safety, Cornell University

American Chemical Society, Division of Chemical Health and Safety

315-730-8896

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