Clearing Agents

In the pretreatment for paraffin embedding, the tissue is first dehydrated with alcohol. Since alcohol and paraffin are largely immiscible, the alcohol in the tissue must be replaced with a clearing agent that is miscible with paraffin. Currently, xylene is widely used as a clearing agent for its miscibility with both alcohol and paraffin.

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Precautions for Using Xylene

In Japan, xylene is a compound designated as Class 2 by the “Ordinance on Prevention of Organic Solvent Poisoning” under the Industrial Safety and Health Law. Xylene affects pregnancy, childbirth, and lactation, and in animal studies, teratogenicity and reproductive toxicity have been reported.¹⁾
According to the 2012 revision of the “Regulations on Labour Standards for Women”, women are not allowed to work in environments where the average concentration of hazardous substances in the workplace exceeds the allowable concentration (50 ppm for xylene).²⁾

Considering the health of the laboratory workers, it is preferable to use an alternative to xylene. Fujifilm Wako offers xylene alternatives, PathoClean and Lemosol.

References

Japan Society for Occupational Health: SANGYO EISEIGAKU ZASSHI, 56,189(2014).
許容濃度の暫定値(2014)の提案理由 (Japanese)
Organization of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare:
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/koyou_roudou/koyoukintou/seisaku05/h24-78.html (Japanese, Dec. 21st, 2022)

For research use or further manufacturing use only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

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