Depends on what I want to do

Preferred routine 10% up to 15% formic acid (10 - 15 mls stock 88% formic
acid qs to 100 mls), I suppose one could try 20% if you wanted more speed.
These will be faster than buffered formic acid.

Another really fast formic method is a combination of 4% HCl with 8% formic
acid, but it must be carefully controlled/tested/rinsed away, worked great
for routine staining protocols.  

If I absolutely had to use a formic for delicate immunohistochemistry,
probably a buffered formic acid with either sodium formate or sodium
citrate, available commercially. Kristensens or von Krajians variant.
These contain approx 4 - 5% formic acid, if you go back and calculate the %
of acid from original formulas.  

ALL are endpoint tested for completion of decalcification.







At 02:52 PM 5/14/01 -0500, you wrote:
> 
>          My next quandry.......what kind of formic acid do you use for
>bone decalci 
> 
> 
>Jennifer Hoover 
>Eli Lilly and Company
Gayle Callis
MT,HT,HTL(ASCP)
Histopathology Supervisor
Veterinary Molecular Biology
Montana State University - Bozeman
Bozeman MT 59717-3610

406 994-6367
404 994-4303 (FAX)