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Troubleshooting

During an experiment, there are always many things that you need to remember in order to work as quickly and efficiently as possible. The following are steps that help made the experiment useful and efficient:

When chemical testing:

Goggles and gloves should always be worn when handling chemicals in the test kit.
Keep the chemicals capped and set aside when not in use (this avoids any accidental spillage).
Clean all your materials thoroughly.
The Sulfate tester is considered poisonous; keep this in mind when handling it to make sure it is carefully used.

When handling fungi:

Fungi can have harmful substances on it that can cause severe illnesses, so wearing gloves is important.
The work surface needs to be sterilized with rubbing alcohol after handling the fungi.
Wash your hands thoroughly. Even if gloves are worn, it is safer to keep your hands clean.
Dispose of nutrient agar count plates in a biohazard disposal container.

When going outside:

Garden gloves help avoid extra clean up when taking soil cores or doing any type of soil extracting outside.
Bring extra materials down to the site and keep first-aid nearby; accidents happen outside!
Suncreen and bugspray are the keys to survival.
Long pants and long sleeves to protect from sun and bugs makes for a more enjoyable experience after the fact.