Use of Solvents in the Anatomic Pathology Laboratory

Course overview

The processing of tissues in the histology laboratory involves four steps: fixation, dehydration, clearing, and infiltration. Each of these steps requires the use of chemicals that may be hazardous, including solvents. Deciding which chemical to use is governed by a variety of considerations, including cost, type of tissue to be processed, processing method to be employed, and safety factors. The chemicals used in the histology laboratory pose a variety of safety risks; consequently, it is important to employ safe handling practices.