Lack of asbestos contamination of paraffin.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate possible asbestos contamination of paraffin and migration by asbestos fibers during the tissue-embedding process.

DESIGN

Three sample categories were included in the study: (1) commercially available paraffin samples; (2) procedural control samples, which were prepared by processing the paraffin through the use of standard solvents and instruments; and (3) samples taken from areas adjacent to embedded tissue and evaluated for migration of asbestos from the tissue into the surrounding paraffin. The analysis of collected material from all samples was performed with analytical transmission electron microscopy.

RESULTS

Only one extremely small tremolite fiber was found in any of the commercially available samples of paraffin. No asbestos fibers were found either in the procedural control samples or in the samples taken adjacent to the embedded lung tissue.

CONCLUSIONS

First, it was extremely unlikely that any of the commercial paraffin samples would have skewed data due to embedded tissue. Second, the processing and instrumentation was not found to contribute asbestos material to the paraffin during the preparations. Finally, embedded tissue that contained high numbers of fibers, both uncoated fibers and asbestos bodies, did not contribute asbestos to the adjacent paraffin.