[Histonet] Substituting formalin by 70%ethanol in fixed samples.

[Julio Benavides]

Hi there,

This is me again with formalin issues. The health and safety officer  
of my institute keeps on in her crusade of eliminating formalin from  
the world.  After your helpful emails, I convinced her that you do  
need formalin to fix samples, other approach would need to much setup  
IHC protocols.  Then and with good intention at heart, she has  
suggested that, one possible solution to reduce formalin presence in  
the institute could be, once samples have been fixed in buffered  
formalin (10%) and embedded in wax, to substitute it by 70% ethanol  
until the sample is discharged. Has anybody tried anything similar?  
What do you think? Would it be possible to come back to formalin in  
case of necessity (let´s say we want to retrim fixed samples after  
they have been in ethanol 70% for 5 months… would you trust them for  
IHC? HE?).

Thanks again for your help

Julio