We purchase ours from Poly-Scientific.

> ----------
> From: 	Connie McManus[SMTP:conmac@cc.usu.edu]
> Sent: 	Tuesday, June 27, 2000 11:16 AM
> To: 	Renee Seiler; histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> Subject: 	Re: picric acid - it does happen
> 
> Renee,
> 
> I am indeed interested in your picric acid/acetone source.  Please send
> the
> info.  I think getting rid of picric acid from this lab--even if it's
> stored in water-- is a good idea.  
> 
> Now, I'm also from the old school of "Make your own solutions", but unlike
> you (and many others out there) I still prefer to make most everything I
> use.  In this case... I'll pass  *VBG*  
> 
> Thanks for your input!
> 
> Connie McManus
> 
> At 03:23 PM 06/26/2000 -0600, Renee Seiler wrote:
> >A picric acid/acetone solution is available from American MasterTech
> Inc-I
> don't have the info now(at home)but can get it to you Tues. if needed.  I
> am a tech from the "old school" and have had my fill of "making"
> solutions,
> so I try to buy "store-boughten" stuff when possible!
> >----- Original Message -----
> >
> >From: conmac@cc.usu.edu
> >To: RSRICHMOND@aol.com, HistoNet@pathology.swmed.edu
> >Subject: picric acid - it does happen
> >Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2000 09:59:57 -0600
> >
> >Dr Bob,  
> > 
> >thanks for this informative new clip.  I keep my picric acid in very
> small 
> >quantities (approx. 50 g) with enough water to cover the top.  The only 
> >thing I use this for is the Picric Acid/ Acetone solution in my gram
> stain, 
> >so it doesn't matter that the PA is wet.   
> > 
> >This brings me to another question... I have benzoyl peroxide in my lab
> and 
> >I am very concerned with the best way to store it as it is another very 
> >explosive chemical.  When I worked at Ohio State University, I had a BPO 
> >explosion in my lab.  I was drying 0.5g in the oven (35 C), but instead
> of 
> >putting it on the rack, I made the blunder of putting it directly on the 
> >bottom of the oven.  I left the lab for  a minute.  When I came back, the
> 
> >oven door was open and blue smoke was wafting out (it had just happened 
> >milliseconds before I came into the lab).  This caused all sorts of 
> >excitement... the campus fire dept. came, all the employees had to leave 
> >the building and my favorite, the firement tried to get into my lab by 
> >chopping it with their handy axe.  Luckily, I was able to stop them and 
> >open the door with my key.  So, in order to prevent history from
> repeating 
> >itself, if anyone has suggestions on the best way to store BPO, I would 
> >love to hear from you.   Right now, I keep some in my fume hood in a 
> >ceramic dish with a large glass petri dish cover over it.  The fume hood 
> >sash is always kept closed... I figure if it blows, the fumes & smoke
> will 
> >at least be vented out.    
> > 
> >Thanks in advance for your helpful suggestions!   
> > 
> >Connie McManus 
> >Veterinary Daignostics Lab 
> >Utah State University 
> >Logan, Utah 
> >USA 
> > 
> >At 01:25 PM 06/24/2000 -0400, RSRICHMOND@aol.com wrote: 
> >>The following story appeared in this morning's Knoxville TN
> News-Sentinel  
> >>(June 24th, 2000): 
> >> 
> >>'Mouse House' Operations Resume 
> >> 
> >>Operations returned to normal Friday at Oak Ridge National Laboratory's 
> >Mouse  
> >>House a day after two bottles of potentially explosive picric acid were
> 
> >>removed and disposed of, officials said. 
> >> 
> >>About 70 employees at the research facility were told to stay home
> Thursday  
> >>because safety concerns were raised during a chemical inventory. 
> >> 
> >>"This was all a safety precaution," said Marty Goolsby, a laboratory  
> >>spokeswoman. 
> >> 
> >>Gollsby said acid in the bottles had crystallized and dried, making it  
> >>shock-sensitive and potentially hazardous. The Mouse House, which is
> inside  
> >>the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant, houses thousands of specially bred mice
> for  
> >>genetic experiments. Only a few personnel were allowed inside the
> facility  
> >>Thursday to feed the mice and do essential maintenance. 
> >> 
> >>Bob Richmond 
> >>Samurai Pathologist 
> >>Knoxville TN (near Oak Ridge) 
> >> 
> >> 
> > 
> >
> >
> >
> >
> Connie McManus
> Veterinary Diagnostics Lab
> Utah State University
> Logan, UT
> USA
>