Afternoon Dave,
	Not much danger of pH changes in aqueous alcohol, but Lillie used to
buffer 10% Formalin to near neutrality by adding 2% CaAcetate.HOH to it.  He
also adds, on some unspecified occasions, 0.5g CaAcetate.HOH to a liter of
what he calls alcoholic (90%) formalin to insure neutrality.  I have used
his recommendation and it works!

Ref:  Lillie, R.D., Histopathologic Technic and Practical Histochemistry
(3rd Ed.), McGraw Hill, NY, NY, 1965, pp 36-39.

Hope this helps,

Fred Monson

Frederick C. Monson, PhD   
Center for Advanced Scientific Imaging
Schmucker II Science Center
West Chester University
South Church Street 
West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA, 19383
Phone:  610-738-0437
FAX:  610-738-0437
fmonson@wcupa.edu
CASI URL:  http://darwin/wcupa.edu/casi/
WCUPA URL:  http://www.wcupa.edu/
Visitors URL:  http://www.wcupa.edu/_visitors/


> ----------
> From: 	Dave Allsop
> Sent: 	Tuesday, March 26, 2002 2:40 PM
> To: 	histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> Subject: 	Recipe for Neutral Buffered Ethanol
> 
> Hi
> 
> I have whole fish preserved in 10% NBF from my recent field visit. I now
> need to transfer them to 60-70% ethanol for storage, but need to buffer
> the
> ethanol to pH 7-8, using sodium phosphate (I cannot use a calcium chelator
> as I am interested in the calcified ear bones as well as the gonad
> structure). If the ethanol is not buffered the ear bones may be dissolved.
> Does anybody have a recipe for how to make such a Neutral Buffered Ethanol
> Solution?
> 
> By the way, thanks to all those who helped with my previous question
> regarding optimal preservation of gonads and otoliths (fish ear bones) in
> the field.
> 
> many thanks
> 
> Dave Allsop
> -- 
> Dave Allsop
> Ashworth Laboratories
> Institute of Cell, Animal and Population Biology
> University of Edinburgh                             X>   X>
> Kings Buildings                             X>    X>
> West Mains Road                                                 X>
> EH3 9JT
> Scotland
> 
> Email: David.Allsop@ed.ac.uk
> Office Phone: (0131) 650 8667
> Home Phone: (0131) 667 4423
> WWW: http://homepage.mac.com/armydave/Frontpage.htm
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>