[Histonet] uranium - question for microscope slide manufacturers possibly

[Andrea Grantham]

I have a question about slides containing concentrations of uranium.

One of my investigators is working on a project where they are 
lasering tissue off of slides and checking it for the amount of 
uranium in the tissue. The laser actually vaporizes the tissue and it 
goes into a machine where it is tested for uranium content. They were 
getting some strange readings and tested the slides alone without 
tissue and found that the slides alone had a pretty high uranium content.

So she is asking - Is there some coating to put on the slides to 
block the uranium?

My question is this - is there really uranium in slides and just how 
much uranium is in a glass slide? Can this be dangerous?

Are there some slides out there that do not contain uranium?

I hope somebody has an answer for my weird question of the day.

Thanks.

Andi Grantham
.....................................................................
: Andrea Grantham, HT(ASCP)     Dept. of Cell Biology & Anatomy     :
: Sr. Research Specialist       University of Arizona               :
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