[Histonet] paraffin problem

[Monfils, Paul]

You can rule out particulate matter in the paraffin by filtering some of it and comparing the results to the unfiltered product. Just put a filter paper in a funnel as usual, put it in a flask, fill the filter paper with paraffin pellets and leave the whole thing in the paraffin oven overnight. When I started in histology (a few years ago) this was standard practice because the paraffin as purchased (it came in 5 lb slabs which we had to break up with a hammer) had all kinds of impurities in it. You wouldn't believe the amount of stuff we would catch on the filter paper.