[Histonet] Ammonia water pH

[Jackie M O'Connor]

Maybe I'm being extremely simple-minded - but I just fill up a 200 ml 
staining jar with tap H20, and add a couple-three drops of 28%.  When it 
doesn't smell like ammonia anymore, I make new stuff.  How's that grab ya 
for QA? 





"Tim Webster" <twebster <@t> nmcinc.org>
Sent by: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
11/30/2004 09:30 AM

 
        To:     <histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
        cc: 
        Subject:        [Histonet] Ammonia water pH


Hi All,

I'm curious to know what people's procedures are for making and using 
ammonia water as a bluing agent in regressive H&E's.
Currently, our methodology is to make the ammonia water up daily from a 
28% stock bottle, and the pH is about 11.  My feeling is that 11 is way to 
high and that 9-10 is plenty alkaline to blue sections adequately. 
Additionally, I'm concerned about strong alkaline solution increasing the 
likelihood of sections washing off or wrinkling.  Sheehan & Hrapchak call 
for a "weak" alkaline solution in "Theory and Practice of 
Histotechnology". 
Also, I can see no reason not to make a working solution weekly/monthly 
and simply empty and refill the Ammonia water station.  The pH doesn't 
appear to drop off over time.

Thanks for your time, and have a great week! 

Tim

Tim Webster
Histology Specialist
Northwestern Medical Center
133 Fairfield Street,
St Albans, VT 05478
(802) 524-1070 (x4349)
twebster <@t> nmcinc.org

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