[Histonet] Precipitate in Processor

[Brandi Higgins]

Phosphate buffered formalin followed by concentrated alcohol will produce
these phosphate salts.  To prevent this, formalin should be followed by
alcohol of 70% or less.  Also, when you change your processing solutions,
you can do a water flush (we do first 4 solutions - 2 formalin 2 alcohol) to
dissolve any salts that may be built up in the lines.

Brandi Higgins HT(ASCP), BS


On Mon, Aug 9, 2010 at 12:00 PM, Adrienne Aperghis Kavanagh <
aaperghis <@t> uspath.com> wrote:

> Hello Everyone,
>
> Has anyone ever seen a (salt?) precipitate in their alcohols following
> formalin?  While changing the processor this morning, I noticed a
> precipitate in the 80% alcohol and 95% alcohol (NOT in the 70% alcohol).  It
> is white and grainy.  The alcohols were otherwise unaffected.
>
> We are using a 10% NBF containing:
> Formaldehyde
> Water
> Sodium Phosphate, monobasic
> Sodium Phosphate, dibasic
> Methanol
>
> And our alcohols are all reagent grade.
>
> Any help would be very much appreciated!  Thank you in advance!
>
>
> Adrienne Aperghis Kavanagh
> US PATH
> 30 W. Century Road
> Suite 255
> Paramus NJ 07652
>
>
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