SPI-Chem™ Stains for Electron Microscopy
"Reynold's Stain" and the effect of carbon dioxide
The user of lead citrate must take serious precautions to keep away from
the prepared solution all exposure to carbon dioxide. Every time you open
your container (flask) containing the lead citrate, some amount of CO2
which will react with some of the lead citrate in solution yielding a
precipitate of lead carbonate.
The way to avoid the problem with precipitation is to minimize exposure
to CO2. And the best way this is done, is to use CO2 free water, either
freshly produced from a high quality deionizer or to boil some distilled
or deionized water which is then allowed to cool.
Contrary to some common misconception, sonication in an ultrasonic cleaner
will not remove the lowest levels of CO2 that could be present at higher
enough levels to present a real problem.
The ultimate solution, then, after following the above recommendations,
aliquot it into smaller containers or small vials and store under
refrigeration. Then open a new vial each time you are about to do some
staining.
Credits:
Taken from a posting on the Microscopy listserver, July 29, 1998 by the
following:
Stephen Griffiths
Visual Science Department
Institute of Ophthalmology
Bath Street
London EC1V 9EL
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Thursday March 18, 2010
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