I think the answer is yes, but we have to do a little chemistry math.

The formula for ferric chloride anhydrous is FeCl3 (1 iron, 3 chlorines)

The formula for ferric chloride hexahydrate is FeCl3*6H2O (1 iron, 3
chlorines, and 6 waters)

The molecular weight (MW) of FeCl3 anhydrous is 162. When 6 waters is added
on, the MW of water is 6 x 18 = 108. So the molecular weight of FeCl3*6H2O
is 162 + 108 = 270.

So, out of the 270 MW of the hexahydrate, 108 is water, or about 40% of the
weight (108/240).

Hopefully, it would follow that, if you were to weigh out 10 g of the
anhydrous, all 10 grams would be ferric chloride.

However, if you weighed out 10 g of the hexahydrate, 40% would be water and
only 60% would be ferric chloride, or about 6 grams.

So to get the hexahydrate to equal anhydrous (for the ferric chloride), you
would have take the amount you need and multiply it by 270/162 = 1.67.

Or, if 10 g of anhydrous is needed, then multiply the 10 g x 1.67 = 16.7 g
of ferric chloride hexahydrate would equal 10 g of ferric chloride
anhydrous.

Try that, and let us know how it works.

Peggy A. Wenk, HTL(ASCP)SLS
William Beaumont Hospital
Royal Oak, MI

----- Original Message -----
From: "Horn, Hazel V" 
To: 
Sent: Monday, August 16, 2004 2:31 PM
Subject: [Histonet] ?? about ferric chloride


I ordered by mistake ferric chloride hexahydrate instead of plain old
ferric chloride.    Will the waters make any difference in staining?   I
can always just try it and see what happens, but if it doesn't work I'd
be stuck with the open bottle of a chemical I can't use.   Anybody know?
Thanks.


Hazel Horn, HT/HTL (ASCP)
Histology Supervisor
Arkansas Children's Hospital

Phone - 501.364.4240
Fax - 501.364.3912




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