RE: is it: ethyl or reagent alcohol?

From:Pamela Marcum

Hi,
The second type of ethyl alcohol, denatured with ethyl acetate, methyl
isobutylketone and 1% hydrocarbons can cause some interactions with staining
and difficulties with very dry or brittle tissues.  Experience speaking some
one ordered the wrong grade for me years ago and I didn't pay enough
attention when it came in.  The bottle said Reagent Alcohol, after that
reading labels became a hobby.   It cause me a whole set of experiments.
Pam Marcum

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Morken, Tim [mailto:tim9@cdc.gov]
> Sent: Friday, January 24, 2003 2:14 PM
> To: 'Histonet'
> Subject: is it: ethyl or reagent alcohol?
>
>
> < 90% ethanol, 5% methanol and 5% isopropanol>>
>
> Just for the heck of it I looked again in the aldrich catalog,
> sure enough.
> all the "reagent" alcohol is ethy, methyl and isopropyl. However, they do
> also have "ethyl alcohol, denatured" that has ethyl alcohol,
> ethyl acetate,
> methyl isobutylketone and 1% "hydrocarbons" listed.
>
> Tim
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mark Ray [mailto:darkdaym@mindspring.com]
> Sent: Friday, January 24, 2003 2:09 PM
> To: Morken, Tim; 'Histonet'
> Subject: Re: ethyl or reagent alcohol?
>
>
> Folks,
>
> I remember having addressed this subject before,  but I will
> reiterate just
> for the heck of it.  The term Reagent Alcohol is a controlled
> appellation of
> the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms of the US Treasury.
>
> Any product labelled Reagent Alcohol must contain what Tim
> describes, about
> 90% ethanol, 5% methanol and 5% isopropanol. Manufacturers may not label a
> product Reagent Alcohol which contains ANY other denaturant, PERIOD.  It's
> the law.  Check the ATF website.   There may be some products on
> the market
> in violation of this regulation.  Don't ask me how they get away with it.
> However, if you check the label of most reagent alcohols, you
> will see that
> they are in compliance.
>
> Mark Ray
> EK Industries
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Morken, Tim" 
> To: "'Histonet'" 
> Sent: Friday, January 24, 2003 11:11 AM
> Subject: RE: ethyl or reagent alcohol?
>
>
> > Fred, and all,
> >
> > Reagent alcohol bought by hisology labs is a blend of ethanol, methanol
> and
> > isopropanol, and works fine as 100 percent "alcohol" (A catalog here has
> > "reagent alcohol" as a blend of 90 percent absolute ethanol, 5%
> methanol,
> > and 5%isopropanol). In my experience I have not seen any functional
> > difference in general histology (processing, routine staining,
> > deparaffinizing) using either "reagent" alcohol or anhydrous ethanol as
> 100
> > percent "alcohol."
> >
> > The difference is that if you get 100 percent ethanol you have to pay
> > federal tax (unless you get an expemption). The aldrich catalog shows 4L
> of
> > ACS 200 proof ethanol to be twice the cost (with tax)of 4L of reagent
> > alcohol.
> >
> >
> > Tim Morken
> > Atlanta
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Monson, Frederick C. [mailto:fmonson@wcupa.edu]
> > Sent: Friday, January 24, 2003 10:35 AM
> > To: List-HistoPath (E-mail)
> > Subject: FW: ethyl or reagent alcohol?
> >
> >
> > Before I launch on this mini-diatribe, I want to make clear
> that Martin's
> > question is quite legit.  However, I think it has been already misread,
> and
> > since I think I have it right, here goes.
> >
> > OK, I don't know anything about the recycling methods used by the common
> > recyclers used in histo labs, but before the question about
> "ethyl" and/or
> > "reagent" alcohols goes any further, I want to see if I have missed
> > something.
> >
> > Now I took organic chemistry in 1964, so I may be cloistered in a closet
> of
> > ignorance, but....
> >
> > ethyl alcohol is ethanol is 1-hydroxy-ethane
> >
> > "reagent" is a term used to characterize either a mixture or the
> > quality of a substance.  One would think that "reagent" would
> only be used
> > to characterize unadulterated formulations, but I have seen it used in
> > instances where the ethanol has been diluted and THEN denatured.
> >
> > "reagent ethanol" is almost always 95% ethanol + 5% water.
> >
> > Now to my revisions of Martin's question.
> >
> > If one recycles ethanol, does one get, as a result, "absolute
> > ethanol" (200 Proof, 100%, USP) or does one get 95+or-% ethanol back?
> Does
> > one use absolute ethanol for final dehydrations or does one use 95% for
> > everything?
> >
> > If one is not recycling ethanol, would one choose absolute ethanol
> > as a starting point for all dilutions or would one choose 95%
> ethanol (one
> > of the "reagent" alcohols)?
> >
> > Finally I should like to respond to my interpretations as follows.
> >
> > The word "mouse" is irrelevant to this discussion - in my thinking.
> >
> > I always use absolute ethanol (USP) that I have purchased in PINT
> > packages, because as soon as I open a container, the ethanol rapidly
> becomes
> > less than absolute.  This has been true when I use it in any histology,
> any
> > chemistry, any biochemistry, and any molecular biology, and any parties.
> >
> > I always use 95% ethanol ("reagent" alcohol) to fabricate other
> > concentrations of ethanol.  I personally INSURE that none of
> the "reagent
> > ethanol I purchase is denatured.
> >
> > I have never recycled ethanol, because I have never operated in an
> > environment in which that would be cost effective, so I defer
> to others in
> > matters specific to those applications.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Fred Monson
> > Frederick C. Monson, PhD
> > Center for Advanced Scientific Imaging
> > Mail to Geology
> > West Chester University of Pennsylvania
> > Schmucker II Science Center, Room SS024
> > South Church Street and Rosedale Avenue
> > West Chester, PA, 19383
> > Phone:  610-738-0437
> > eMail:  fmonson@wcupa.edu
> > An FEI (Quanta 400 and Technai 12),
> > Oxford INCA Energy 400, and
> > Olympus FV-300 Shop.
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Martin, Ronald [mailto:Ronald.Martin@umassmed.edu]
> > Sent: Friday, January 24, 2003 8:15 AM
> > To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> > Subject: ethyl or reagent alcohol?
> >
> >
> > Histonetters,
> > I have a question for those of you involved in research with
> mouse tissue.
> > Which type of alcohol do you prefer for your tissue processing, ethyl
> > alcohol or reagent alcohol?
> > Thanks,
> > Ron Martin, B.Sc.,  HTL (ASCP)HT
> > Research Associate
> >
>
>




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