[Histonet] deplasticizing PMMA sections for staining

[Monfils, Paul]

In my experience, xylene is a rather poor solvent for PMMA.  It works much faster at 60 degrees, but don't try heating flammable solvents in your oven unless you are certain it is certified explosion-proof (most paraffin ovens are not).  Even then, unless you have the oven in or at least next to a fume hood, you'll get a lot of xylene vapors in the air as a result of heating it.  I deplasticise PMMA with 2-methoxyethyl acetate, which only takes a couple of hours at room temperature.  This has a rather strong though not unpleasant odor, and should be used in the hood.