The principal reason for using xylene instead of toluene is safety.
The flash point of toluene is 40 degrees F! The flash point of xylene is
100 degrees F. The high flash point is due more to its being a mixture
than to its higher molecular weight. (Impurities favor the liquid state,
lowering the melting point and raising the boiling point.)
Allen A. Smith, Ph.D.
-----Original Message-----
From: christine lee
Sent: Fri 12/28/2001 4:51 AM
To: histonet
Cc:
Subject: Xylene vs. toluene or others
As a user of xylene for many years, I have been
asked about the use of toluene for clearing and dewaxing etc., is anyone using
it in routine Histology and if so how many labs?. It would also be interesting
to know how many labs have gone back to xylene after trying substitutes.
Christine Lee
Histology Lab,
School of Molecular Biosciences,
University of
Queensland.