Hi Joyce, Absolutely agree with recycling concept, value, money saved and no fumes in lab (if using newer models) and if used properly. I've always been curious about the concept of a lab recycler making xylene "purer" by distilling out isomers. Which unit do you have? meta-xylene is in great demand as a feedstock for plastic production. Since xylene(s) are a mixture of ortho-, meta- and para all of which differ in boiling points by just very few degrees, they are (near) impossible to separate out from one another by ordinary distillation and need multi-fractional set-ups with crystallization and absorption and catalytic beds. Manufacturers spend vast sums to do this and are always looking for a better way. What unit do you have? Have you had chromatography done on your (new) input and then output xylene. I've done it extensively for alcohol but never xylene. Thanks, Ray Seattle, WA
----- Original Message ----- From: "Joyce K. Weems" <joyce.we...@emoryhealthcare.org> To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2014 8:33:04 AM Subject: [Histonet] RE: Recycled or not? NO PHI I have used recycled xylene since the mid-80s and the only problem is that it is purer than new xylene and can make biopsies crispy. (The isomers get distilled out.) We use new xylene on the biopsy processor. The recycler is in our lab and there are no fumes at all. Surely does save money. Joyce Weems Pathology Manager 678-843-7376 Phone 678-843-7831 Fax joyce.we...@emoryhealthcare.org www.saintjosephsatlanta.org 5665 Peachtree Dunwoody Road Atlanta, GA 30342 This e-mail, including any attachments is the property of Saint Joseph's Hospital and is intended for the sole use of the intended recipient(s). It may contain information that is privileged and confidential. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete this message, and reply to the sender regarding the error in a separate email. -----Original Message----- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of McAnn, Sherrian Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2014 11:20 AM To: Blazek, Linda; Podawiltz, Thomas; histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: RE: [EXTERNAL] [Histonet] RE: Recycled or not? NO PHI We routinely recycle both our alcohols and xylenes. They are checked for purity and with the alcohol the extra step of ensuring that we are getting the correct percentage (95%) recovered. We have never had any issues in any of our processors or stainers since using recycled reagents. We also have not had an issue with fumes. The recyclers nowadays are much better than their older versions and I think that sometimes prejudices come into play with the older techs like me who were around for the older models. P. S. We used to have to do ours on a hotplate with a large round glass ball and would have to clean the ball out. Those were not the good ole days. :) -----Original Message----- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Blazek, Linda Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2014 9:43 AM To: Podawiltz, Thomas; histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: [EXTERNAL] [Histonet] RE: Recycled or not? NO PHI I agree with Tom. With the exception of self-inflicted issues we also have not had any issues with recycling our reagents. We check each batch as it is recycled. We also don't have a problem with fumes. (And our pathologists are fussy) -----Original Message----- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Podawiltz, Thomas Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2014 10:34 AM To: Barbara Tibbs; Sanders, Jeanine (CDC/OID/NCEZID); histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: [Histonet] RE: Recycled or not? NO PHI We have never had an issue with either our recycled xylene or alcohol that was not self inflicted. When our system is running there are no fumes. Tom Podawiltz HT (ASCP) Histology Section Head LRGHealthcare Laconia, NH 03246 603-524-3211 ext: 3220 -----Original Message----- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Barbara Tibbs Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2014 9:06 AM To: Sanders, Jeanine (CDC/OID/NCEZID); histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: [Histonet] RE: Recycled or not? While I can agree that recycling alcohol and xylene is both environmentally and economically advantageous, technically it's awful. There's no way to make used alcohol and xylene as pure as it was originally. There's also the issue of fumes from recycling a solvent. The company I had used years ago swore that there were no fumes when using their machine but the personnel working in the laboratory would vigorously disagree. Barbara S. Tibbs Histology Supervisor Accurate Diagnostic Labs South Plainfield, NJ barbara.ti...@accuratediagnosticlabs.com 732-839-3374 Cell: 610-809-6508 ________________________________________ From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu <histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu> on behalf of Sanders, Jeanine (CDC/OID/NCEZID) <j...@cdc.gov> Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2014 9:45 AM To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: [Histonet] Recycled or not? Morning All! I have heard for years the general problems with using recycled alcohols on H&E stainers, but do the same problems occur when using recycled xylene? Thanks! Jeanine H. Sanders Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Infectious Diseases Pathology Branch 404-639-3590 j...@cdc.gov _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet THIS MESSAGE IS CONFIDENTIAL. This e-mail message and any attachments are proprietary and confidential information intended only for the use of the recipient(s) named above. If you are not the intended recipient, you may not print,distribute, or copy this message or any attachments. 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