Neralie Coulston at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia asks:

What is in Folin-Ciocalteau reagent? I am assuming this reagent is one that 
was used for protein determination, but the label is half missing and fairly 
light on detail. I am clearing out some ancient junk from the lab and want to 
know how to get rid of it.

750 mL water
100 g sodium tungstate
25 g sodium molybdate
50 mL of 85% phosphoric acid
100 mL concentrated HCl
150 g lithium sulfate
"a few drops" of bromine (boiled off)

reference: Folin, Otto and Ciocalteau, Vintila. On tyrosine and tryptophane 
determinations in proteins. Jour Biol Chem 73: 627-650 1927. Cited in 
Todd-Sanford 10th ed., 1944, page 412.

A fine old geezer question. Just don't ask me how to pronounce Ciocalteau. 
Having just finished _Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire_, a 
near-Dostoievskian effort at 734 pages, I'd recommend adding some boomslang 
skin, if you can sneak into Professor Snapes' office.

Bob Richmond
Samurai Pathologist in the Muggle world
Knoxville TN