[Histonet] Epon Resin Embedding Question

[Paula Sicurello]

Hi Brian,Unfortunately, no.  The most you can do is to put it back in the oven and let it bake forva very long time.
You won't be able to section it.  It will gum up the knife edge.  If they are using a diamond knife they need to clean it right away.
To add insult to injury, the poorly polymerized blocks are a safety hazard.   Epoxy resins are all toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, a reproductive hazard, or all of the above combined.  It’s only when the resin is fully polymerized that it becomes an inert plastic.
Perhaps someone else out in Histoland (Tim Morkin, are you out there?) has had luck dealing with blocks like those.
Sincerely,

Paula Sicurello  
 
  On Wed, Sep 28, 2022 at 12:27 PM, Cooper, Brian via Histonet<histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu> wrote:   Good afternoon Histonet,

Asking this question for a friend:  Is there a way to correct an improperly prepared Epon resin embedded block?  Following embedding, the block is soft and "tacky" to the touch.  This block is proving VERY difficult to section.  Any assistance from those of you doing EM in your labs would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Brian D. Cooper, HT (ASCP)CMQIHCCM| Histology Supervisor
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
4650 Sunset Blvd MS#43- Los Angeles, CA 90027
Ph: 323.361.3357
bcooper at chla.usc.edu<mailto:bcooper at chla.usc.edu>

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential or legally privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of this original message.  
_______________________________________________
Histonet mailing list
Histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu
http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet