[Histonet] RE: Recycled or not? NO PHI

Thu Jun 26 10:55:25 CDT 2014

Hi Joyce, 
Absolutely agree with recycling concept, value, money saved and no fumes in lab (if using newer models) and if used properly.  I've always been curious about the concept of a lab recycler making xylene "purer" by distilling out isomers.  Which unit do you have?  meta-xylene is in great demand as a feedstock for plastic production.  Since xylene(s) are a mixture of ortho-, meta- and para all of which differ in boiling points by just very few degrees, they are (near) impossible to separate out from one another by ordinary distillation and need multi-fractional set-ups with crystallization and absorption and catalytic beds.  Manufacturers spend vast sums to do this and are always looking for a better way.  What unit do you have?  Have you had chromatography done on your (new) input and then output xylene.  I've done it extensively for alcohol but never xylene. Thanks, 

Ray 
Seattle, WA 

----- Original Message -----

From: "Joyce K. Weems" <Joyce.Weems <@t> emoryhealthcare.org> 
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu 
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2014 8:33:04 AM 
Subject: [Histonet] RE: Recycled or not?  NO PHI 

I have used recycled xylene since the mid-80s and the only problem is that it is purer than new xylene and can make biopsies crispy. (The isomers get distilled out.) We use new xylene on the biopsy processor. The recycler is in our lab and there are no fumes at all. 

Surely does save money. 

Joyce Weems 
Pathology Manager 
678-843-7376 Phone 
678-843-7831 Fax 
joyce.weems <@t> emoryhealthcare.org 

www.saintjosephsatlanta.org 
5665 Peachtree Dunwoody Road 
Atlanta, GA 30342 

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-----Original Message----- 
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of McAnn, Sherrian 
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2014 11:20 AM 
To: Blazek, Linda; Podawiltz, Thomas; histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu 
Subject: RE: [EXTERNAL] [Histonet] RE: Recycled or not? NO PHI 

We routinely recycle both our alcohols and xylenes. They are checked for purity and with the alcohol the extra step of ensuring that we are getting the correct percentage (95%) recovered. We have never had any issues in any of our processors or stainers since using recycled reagents. We also have not had an issue with fumes. The recyclers nowadays are much better than their older versions and I think that sometimes prejudices come into play with the older techs like me who were around for the older models.  P. S. We used to have to do ours on a hotplate with a large round glass ball and would have to clean the ball out.  Those were not the good ole days. :) 

-----Original Message----- 
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu 
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Blazek, Linda 
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2014 9:43 AM 
To: Podawiltz, Thomas; histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu 
Subject: [EXTERNAL] [Histonet] RE: Recycled or not? NO PHI 

I agree with Tom.  With the exception of self-inflicted issues we also have not had any issues with recycling our reagents.  We check each batch as it is recycled. 
We also don't have a problem with fumes.  (And our pathologists are 
fussy) 

-----Original Message----- 
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu 
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Podawiltz, Thomas 
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2014 10:34 AM 
To: Barbara Tibbs; Sanders, Jeanine (CDC/OID/NCEZID); histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu 
Subject: [Histonet] RE: Recycled or not? NO PHI 

We have never had an issue with either our recycled xylene or alcohol that was not self inflicted. When our system is running there are no fumes. 

Tom Podawiltz HT (ASCP) 
Histology Section Head 
LRGHealthcare 
Laconia, NH 03246 
603-524-3211 ext: 3220 

-----Original Message----- 
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu 
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Barbara 
Tibbs 
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2014 9:06 AM 
To: Sanders, Jeanine (CDC/OID/NCEZID); histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu 
Subject: [Histonet] RE: Recycled or not? 

While I can agree that recycling alcohol and xylene is both 
environmentally and economically advantageous, technically it's awful. 
There's no way to make used alcohol and xylene as pure as it was 
originally.  There's also the issue of fumes from recycling a solvent. 
The company I had used years ago swore that there were no fumes when 
using their machine but the personnel working in the laboratory would 
vigorously disagree. 

Barbara S. Tibbs 
Histology Supervisor 
Accurate Diagnostic Labs 
South Plainfield, NJ 
barbara.tibbs <@t> accuratediagnosticlabs.com 
732-839-3374 
Cell: 610-809-6508 

________________________________________ 
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu 
<histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu> on behalf of Sanders, 
Jeanine (CDC/OID/NCEZID) <jqb7 <@t> cdc.gov> 
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2014 9:45 AM 
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu 
Subject: [Histonet] Recycled or not? 

Morning All! 

I have heard for years the general problems with using recycled alcohols 
on H&E stainers, but do the same problems occur when using recycled 
xylene? 

Thanks! 

Jeanine H. Sanders 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Infectious Diseases Pathology 
Branch 
404-639-3590 
jqb7 <@t> cdc.gov 

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