| From: | "Mark Hayes" |
HI
Do you have access to an electron microscope? If so does it have an EDAX (if my memory serves me correctly) attachment or can you send it to one. I used one of these many years ago (circa 1982) at Sydney University to identify and semiquantitate some unique gold chloride crystals. EDAX or EDX stands for energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX). If you can isolate your specs onto an EM target you should at least be able to get an elemental analysis. Titanium oxide is also a component of paint and is utterly inert – I think it needs HF to dissolve it. Hope this helps.
Cheers MarkH
-----Original Message-----
From:
histonet-admin@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-admin@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Kathy.Johnston@CLS.ab.ca
Sent: Thursday,
30 October 2003 7:30
AM
To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
Subject: [Histonet] Black pigment
on Bronch Lavages
One of our pathologists and myself have been trying to identify some black intracellular pigmentation in a bronch lavage. We have ruled out carbon, and bleaching the section did not work, therefore is not melanin. It is a very fine dark black pigment and appears quite uniform in shape and size. Our pathologist is thinking that it is lead (the patient is a long time professional painter), but lead stains are negative. My other thought is aluminum deposits but have not yet stained for this.
I am hoping someone on the "Net" may have some idea of what this may be, and if there is a method for demonstrating it.
Thanks very much in advance!
Kathy Johnston
Tech II - Special Stains
Anatomic Pathology - FMC
Calgary Laboratory Services
1403-29 Street NW
Calgary AB, Canada T2N 2T9
403-944-4760
403-290-4093 fax