[Histonet] Re: Bouins alternative/substitute question

[RSRICHMOND <@t> aol.com]

Picric acid is an explosion hazard when dry, particularly if it is 
contaminated with metal picrates (such as can be formed from a metal cap on the jar). 
It's shipped with 10% water, and is not explosive unless it dries out.

You can prepare Bouin's fixative without ever handling solid picric acid by 
purchasing saturated picric acid in water, used for the Jaffe reaction for 
creatinine so that it's easy to get (it's in the current Sigma catalog, for 
example).

But if you use Bouin's fixative at all, you still have to dispose of it, and 
that can be expensive.

Look at the Dapsons' book Hazardous Materials in the Histopathology 
Laboratory, 4th ed. 2005, for more information.

Bob Richmond
Gastonia NC