Actinomycin D (CAS 50-76-0): storage and disposal
Also sold as dactinomycin, actinomycin D is a bright red peptide antibiotic that binds DNA. Universities buy it in tiny vials to stop transcription in cell biology work, and pharmacies hold it as an anticancer medicine. As classified it is fatal if swallowed, may cause cancer and may damage fertility or the unborn child. The very small quantities involved are misleading, and the form and setting decide how it is described.
- CAS number
- 50-76-0
- Form
- Solid
- Storage class
- Toxic
- Signal word
- Danger
- Usual EWC code
- 16 05 06*
Acute toxicity
Serious health hazard
What to do this week
- Check the label is readable and write down the opened date if it is not already there.
- Check it is stored as toxic stock and apart from the items listed under "Do not store with".
- If you no longer need it, add it to your disposal list so it goes on the next collection.
Safe storage in a school or lab
May cause cancer and may damage fertility or the unborn child: those two statements, along with being fatal if swallowed, are why it goes in a locked cabinet with a stock record, not loose in a shared freezer box. In research labs that is exactly where it often turns up, as a small labelled tube among other inhibitors, sometimes owned by someone who left long ago. Find it and record it. Light degrades it, particularly in solution, so foil-wrapped tubes and dark boxes are normal and should not be unwrapped out of curiosity. Pharmacy stock normally stays in its cytotoxic storage arrangement. Oxidisers and acids belong elsewhere. Staff who may be pregnant should know the contents of any box they are asked to sort.
How to tell it has deteriorated
Foil wrapping, tiny handwritten tube labels and worn freezer box markings are the usual container problems, and a label that has rubbed off a frozen tube can leave contents unknown. The solid is normally a vivid red or orange-red powder, so colour alone does not show age, and a small film of red at the bottom of a vial can be easy to miss. Solutions lose activity in light with little outward change. Red staining around a cap or on the outside of a vial is what deserves attention, as it shows contents have escaped. Overall it gives few visual signs of ageing, so stock records and dates count for more than appearance. Do not thaw or open anything to inspect it.
How it must be disposed of
By specialist collection only. It never goes down the drain or into general waste. It is normally packed in a toxic laboratory pack with compatible chemicals.
Everything leaves by specialist collection, and that includes a nearly empty vial. Research stock would normally be coded 16 05 06*, whereas a pharmacy holder would see 18 01 08* as a cytotoxic medicine, so name your setting. Stock solutions in solvent should be listed with the solvent, as that changes the group the tube is packed with. Tell us about frozen tubes before the day, since a thawing box of unknown aliquots is awkward to pack. Contaminated tips and tubes from cell work need describing as well. No part of it should go in a sink, a drain or a general waste bin, and nobody should attempt to treat it first.
| EWC code, laboratory chemicals | 16 05 06* |
|---|---|
| Discarded organic chemical, not a laboratory pack | 16 05 08* |
| Human healthcare setting | 18 01 08* |
| Hazardous waste | Yes |
The code depends on where the waste came from and what it is mixed with. Use the waste code finder to see why.
Do not store with
- OxidiserToxic and oxidising stock are stored apart. A reaction could release toxic vapours.
- AcidToxic stock is stored apart from acids. Several toxic salts release toxic gas in contact with acid.
Named chemicals to keep apart
- Acetic acidToxic stock is stored apart from acids. Several toxic salts release toxic gas in contact with acid.
- Calcium hypochloriteToxic and oxidising stock are stored apart. A reaction could release toxic vapours.
- Hydrochloric acidToxic stock is stored apart from acids. Several toxic salts release toxic gas in contact with acid.
- Hydrogen peroxideToxic and oxidising stock are stored apart. A reaction could release toxic vapours.
- Nitric acidToxic stock is stored apart from acids. Several toxic salts release toxic gas in contact with acid.
- Potassium nitrateToxic and oxidising stock are stored apart. A reaction could release toxic vapours.
- Potassium permanganateToxic and oxidising stock are stored apart. A reaction could release toxic vapours.
- Sulfuric acidToxic stock is stored apart from acids. Several toxic salts release toxic gas in contact with acid.
Common quantities we collect
Usually held as: solid.
Part-used bottles and full containers are both fine. Tell us the size and how many, and an estimate is enough for a first price.
Where it is commonly held
Hazard statements
- H300 Fatal if swallowed.
- H350 May cause cancer.
- H360 May damage fertility or the unborn child.
Precautionary statements
- P203 Obtain, read and follow all safety instructions before use.
- P264 Wash hands and exposed skin thoroughly after handling.
- P270 Do not eat, drink or smoke when using this product.
- P280 Wear protective gloves, protective clothing, eye protection and face protection.
- P301+P316 IF SWALLOWED: Get emergency medical help immediately.
- P318 If exposed or concerned, get medical advice.
- P321 Specific treatment (see supplemental first aid instruction on this label).
- P330 Rinse mouth.
- P405 Store locked up.
- P501 Dispose of contents and container in accordance with local, regional, national and international regulations.
Substance as classified, dilutions may differ.
Questions
A former researcher left several small red tubes in the freezer. How do we deal with them?
Keep them in the freezer box, restrict access and list what the labels say, including anything illegible. Leave them closed. If you believe they are actinomycin D, say so and explain why, then include them in your collection request. Other tubes in the box may need the same care.
Does such a tiny quantity really need a specialist collection?
Yes. Vial quantities are normal for this substance, so small amounts are the expected case. It is classified as fatal if swallowed, and may cause cancer, and it still has to be described accurately. A few milligrams, or a nearly empty vial, should not go in with general waste.
Does old actinomycin D lose its hazard if it has been left in the light?
You should not assume so. Light is known to degrade it, particularly in solution, but there is no simple way to tell how far that has gone, and nobody should try to find out. Declare it as actinomycin D and record its age, form and storage history as far as you can.
