[Histonet] Prepared Solutions

[Tom McNemar]

Long, long ago, we made everything up (mostly from powders), we kept all the procedures written on recipe cards filed alphabetically in a recipe box and it worked very well.  About the only thing we make up anymore is formalin, and graded alcohols.  I have a procedure for the formalin but none for the alcohols.

We labeled the working solutions with the chemical name, percentage, and a shelf life date.  Dry powders lasted forever (many did not even give an expiration) so we just fabricated a reasonable shelf life date.

I also think it is advisable to list and spell out the name and concentration of every ingredient used.



Tom McNemar, HT(ASCP)
Histology Co-ordinator
Licking Memorial Health Systems
(740) 348-4163
(740) 348-4166
tmcnemar <@t> lmhealth.org
www.LMHealth.org


-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Brandi Higgins
Sent: Friday, June 25, 2010 12:34 PM
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] Prepared Solutions

Hello All,

I work in a small lab where we purchase most of our chemicals already
prepared.  The only solutions we routinely prepare ourselves are our acid
alcohol and acid water for our staining procedures, Carnoy's Fixative (since
it needs to be fresh) and our 50%, 70% etc alcohol solutions for our Pap
stain and for our processing machine.  I would also like to start preparing
our 1% and 3% acetic acid solutions instead of purchasing them since I have
glacial acetic acid on hand anyway for our Carnoy's Fixative  (not that the
acetic acid acid solutions are expensive but every dollar counts, plus the
shipping charges always shock me).

My questions are
1 - in your labs, do you have a policy with instructions on how to prepare
each solution?  (eg 1 ml acetic acid diluted with water to 100 ml to prepate
1% Acetic Acid Aq and is it neccessary to say 500 ml water and 500 ml
reagent alcohol to form 50% alcohol)

2 - when you label the solutions you prepare, do you transfer the lot
numbers and expiration dates of the chemicals that were used to make the
solutions onto the new chemical bottles and use the expiration date of the
concentrated chemical as the expiration date of the prepared chemical?

Thanks in advance for all input.  Im always amazed at how fast, how many,
and how thorough/helpful the responses are!

Brandi Higgins, BS, HT(ASCP)
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