(42d) What to Expect When Expecting in Lab: Safety Considerations and Green Chemistry Resources for Pregnant Researchers in the Chemical Laboratory

The importance of laboratory safety and the awareness of working with laboratory hazards becomes heightened when chemical researchers become pregnant and can lead to uneasiness about lab work. In an effort to retain and support women and parents in chemical careers, we present our recent review of unique risks and resources for pregnant researchers in the chemical laboratory, where a chemical laboratory is defined as an industry or academic laboratory engaging in primary research in fields like chemistry, engineering, or medicine, but excluding biological work with substances such as pathogens or live organisms. We examine lab relevant doses for commonly encountered hazards for pregnant lab workers, including chemical hazards (organic solvents, heavy metals, engineered nanomaterials, and endocrine disruptors), radiation hazards (ionizing radiation producing equipment and materials and non-ionizing radiation producing equipment), and other hazards related to the lab environment (excessive noise, excessive heat, psychosocial stress, strenuous physical work, and/or abnormal working hours). Inspired by the principles of Green Chemistry and Green Engineering, reducing hazard is the most promising route to eliminating or at least minimizing risk—as it is an intrinsic and constant property of chemicals and processes—whereas exposure controls can and often fail. Therefore, implementing green chemistry could directly benefit pregnant researchers in a laboratory setting. This oral presentation will share the main findings of this review, highlight many green chemistry tools, and indicate where green chemistry can aid in furthering creating safe laboratory spaces for pregnant researchers.