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Dehydration
Dehydration
OBJECTIVES
• Describe purpose of dehydration
• Enumerate the different dehydrating agents
• Describe their advantages and disadvantages
Principle:
1. Ethyl alcohol
• best dehydrating agent (fast acting, mixes with water and
penetrates tissues easily)
• Clear colorless, flammable
• Most recommended for routine dehydration
2. Methyl alcohol
• toxic
• used for blood and tissue films and for smear preparations
A. Alcohol
3. Butyl alcohol
• Utilized in plant and animal microtechniques
• Slow acting causing less shrinkage and hardening than ethyl
alcohol
• Recommended for tissues which do nor require rapid processing
B. Acetone