Hi Hilary,
     We used the Shandon xylene substitute for a while, but we have gone 
     back to xylene.  We tested a large group of substitutes and found 
     Shandon's to be one of the better ones, we were even able to recycle 
     it!  What plagued us was its affinity to collect water which made its 
     continued use in processing and staining very short.  This is an 
     inherent problem with all of the xylene substitutes and I am in no way 
     knocking Shandon, they have a good product, but with our high volume 
     of work, the constant need to change water contaminated reagents was 
     too much for us to handle.  Maybe with a smaller volume of work it may 
     be easier to control. We typically are processing 300 to 1000 
     blocks/slides a day for comparison. 
     Just my 2 cents.
     
     Richard Rodriguez
     Schering-Plough Research Institute 
     Lafayette, NJ
     

______________________________ Reply Separator
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Subject: Xylene Substitute
Author:  "Hilary Reidy" [SMTP:74420@UDel.Edu] at S-P_EXHUB_AM
Date:    10/15/1999 7:44 AM


Hi!
Does anyone use a xylene substitute? If you do, I would like to know how 
long you have been using it and how it has performed for you.
     
Thanks,
     
Hilary Reidy
University of Delaware
Phone (302)831-8466
e-mail 74420@udel.edu