Allison Scott after a flash fire with the stuff asks about alternatives to 2-methylbutane for freezing specimens.
There is indeed a safe alternative, though I haven't had a chance to try it. I've posted about it on Histonet more than once - here's a copy of an earlier post of mine: 3M(tm) Novec(tm) Engineered Fluid HFE-7100 This product belongs to a class of fluorocarbons called "segregated hydrofluoroethers (HFE's)" According to various MSDS, HFE-7100 is methyl nonafluoroisobutyl ether C4F9-O-CH3 It melts and freezes at -135 C, so that it would remain liquid in the Histobath. (It would freeze solid in liquid nitrogen, however.) It boils at 60 C., and is listed as non-flammable. It has almost no vapor pressure at freezing temperatures. It cost around $230 a gallon a few years ago. Bob Richmond Samurai Pathologist Knoxville TN _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
