Why not use an alcoholic solution instead of aqueous?  I make up a 5X
eosin/phloxine stock solution in 95% ethanol, then keep it on the shelf in a
brown bottle.  It keeps forever and nothing can grow in it.  For use I
dilute it 1 part stock to 4 parts 80% ethanol.

Switching to alcoholic solutions has helped in some other cases too. Many
years ago we did a Grocott fungus stain (GMS) and when we checked the slide
microscopically we saw that there were a lot of fungal hyphae present. But
then we noticed that the fungi were not silver stained. And that they were
not in the same plane of focus as the tissue section. And that in some areas
they extended out past the edges of the tissue section.  The fungus was
growing in the aqueous light green solution used as a counterstain.  I
switched to alcoholic light green (or fast green) solutions and have never
had a problem since.

> ----------
> From: 	histonet-bounces@lists.utsouthwestern.edu on behalf of
> louise renton
> Sent: 	Monday, June 12, 2006 11:50 PM
> To: 	Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> Subject: 	[Histonet] eosin storage
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> what is the best way to keep eosinY/phloxine mixture long term
> (aqueous sloution used for h&E)?
> I use the solution sporadically, and hate it when i get to the bottle
> and there is an alien life form evolving in it. Thymol seems no
> deterrrent. Could I aliquot it and freeze it? Autoclave and store in
> fridge?  any thoughts?
> 
> Best regards
> Louise Renton
> Bone Research Unit
> University of the Witwatersrand
> Johannesburg
> South Africa
> "There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls".
> George Carlin
> No trees were killed in the sending of this message.
> However, many electrons were terribly inconvenienced.
> 
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> 
> 

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