Buesa R J, Peshkov M V
Arkh Patol. 2011 Jan-Feb;73(1):54-60.
In the 1970s xylene was proven to be toxic to histology laboratory staff and its substitutes became available, many of which were no less so. Isopropanol (2-propanol) alone or mixed with molten paraffin is a technically suitable and cost-effective xylene substitute for tissue processing over many years. In this study, we demonstrate that mixtures of 5:1 and 2:1 isopropanol and mineral oil, followed by undiluted mineral oil (at 50 degrees C), are a gentler, safer and cheaper substitute than xylene. This tissue processing is now the method of choice in 3 Russian histology laboratories. The tissues processed in this fashion are suitable for many special procedures. The use of a dishwasher soap aqueous solution at 90 degrees C to dewax sections before staining and oven drying prior to coverslipping will eliminate xylene from the staining process. Tissue processors retorts, conduits, and other tools may be dewaxed with a 2% solution of a strong glassware laboratory detergent. These 4 methodologies make a histology laboratory free from xylene but, due to the natural resistance to changes, many histotechicians will be reluctant to adopt them, if they think that their technical expertise could be jeopardized. The only way these changes will succeed is if the pathologists who determine the use of these methods in histology laboratories.
20世纪70年代，二甲苯被证明对组织学实验室工作人员有毒，其替代品开始出现，其中许多同样有毒。多年来，单独的异丙醇（2-丙醇）或与熔化的石蜡混合，在技术上是一种合适且经济高效的二甲苯替代品，用于组织处理。在本研究中，我们证明5:1和2:1的异丙醇与矿物油混合物，随后是未稀释的矿物油（50摄氏度），是一种比二甲苯更温和、更安全且更便宜的替代品。这种组织处理方法现在是3家俄罗斯组织学实验室的首选方法。以这种方式处理的组织适用于许多特殊程序。在染色前使用90摄氏度的洗碗皂水溶液对切片进行脱蜡，并在封片前进行烘干，将消除染色过程中的二甲苯。组织处理仪的曲颈甑、导管和其他工具可用2%的强力玻璃器皿实验室洗涤剂溶液进行脱蜡。这4种方法可使组织学实验室不含二甲苯，但由于人们天生抗拒改变，如果许多组织技术人员认为他们的专业技能可能受到威胁，他们将不愿采用这些方法。这些改变取得成功的唯一途径是由病理学家来决定在组织学实验室中使用这些方法。
