If you haven’t already heard, we’ve moved! We are now fully operational in our new, state of the art facility. Along with some new contact info, our expanded operation has added many other benefits available to you.
Can I use Rapid Cal™ for all my tissues needing decalcification? Rapid Cal™ can be use with all tissue that requires decalcification. In general, replacing your current Decalcifier solution with Rapid Cal™ will be fine. There is no need to change any staining times or procedures. ↑ Back to Top
Dehydration Introduction Dehydration must be graded to prevent shrinkage of tissues. Appropriate grading of alcohols is desirable, and the appropriate type of alcohol is advantageous. Adequate dehydration in 100% alcohols is necessary to allow clearing in subsequent processor steps. The necessary time in 100% alcohols for dehydration is dictated by the chemistry of the alcohols and the character of tissues to be dehydrated. ↑ Back to Top
My B-Plus™ came to me discolored, is that ok? B-Plus™ is made daily in very large containers. During the mixing process, certain chemicals are mixed at certain times. Depending on the temperature of the water and the ambient air temperature during this mixing process, will determine how blue the product becomes. If the product is light blue or dark blue, there is no chemical difference. It will be ok to use and work the same as previous lots. ↑ Back to Top
Do I have to filter Rapid Cal™? Filtration is not necessary when using Rapid Cal™. The filtration is done prior to your receiving the product. ↑ Back to Top
Do I have to mix Rapid Fix™ before using? Rapid Fix™ comes ready to use and does not require any mixing. ↑ Back to Top
Do I have to rinse my tissues after fixing in B-Plus™? There is no need to rinse the tissue prior to processing. The special formulation of B-Plus™ eliminates the need for washing the tissue before processing. ↑ Back to Top
Do I have to rinse my tissues after decalcifying with Rapid Cal™? It is not necessary to rinse the tissue before processing. This is a common procedure that has been eliminated by our product. You may however rinse if you feel it is a neccessary step. ↑ Back to Top
Do I have to rinse my tissues after fixing with Rapid Fix™? Because of the fact that Rapid Fix™ is compatible with formalin, there is no rinsing that is needed. ↑ Back to Top
Will Rapid Fix™ work with immuno studies and/or procedures? Immuno studies will be performed using the same procedures as formalin when using Rapid Fix™. ↑ Back to Top
Introduction to Formalin Formalin is a very slow fixative and requires approximately 24 hours for adequate fixation. Consequently, it is not very effective in the first two stations for fixation of tissues if processors are run on the usual 8-12 hour schedule. Time in each fixative station with formalin is usually a maximum of 2-4 hours. Therefore, a more rapid fixative is desirable in the first two stations of the processor. ↑ Back to Top
How are P1™, P2™ and P3™ different than regular graded alcohol? These alcohols are blended to give consistent dehydration. They are also blends of alcohols in stead of one specific alcohol. This provides very steady dehydration and clearer staining. ↑ Back to Top
How do I dispose of B-Plus™? B-Plus does have very small amounts of zinc in the formula and thus must be disposed of properly. Please consult you local waste water authorities for proper disposal. If you would like to have your area checked for proper disposal procedures, please e-mail support@bbcus.com or call (800) 635-4477. ↑ Back to Top
How do I dispose of P1™, P2™ and P3™? You can dispose of these products the same way you dispose of the alcohols that you use currently. ↑ Back to Top
How do I dispose of Powdered Formalin™? Disposal will be the same as 10% NBF after it is reconstituted. This product can be neutralized and disposed of with your routine formalin. ↑ Back to Top
How do I dispose of Processor Fix 1™ and Processor Fix 2™? Disposal of Processor Fix 1™ & 2™ is the same as any formaldehyde containing product. For example, both Processor Fix 1™ and 2™ can be neutralized for disposal. ↑ Back to Top
How do I dispose of Rapid Fix™? Rapid Fix™ can be neutralized and disposed of identical to your routine formalin product. ↑ Back to Top
How does the price of Rapid Fix™ compare to regular 10% neutral buffered formalin? Pricing of Rapid Fix™ will be very similar to the pricing of formalin. Quantities breaks are available upon request. ↑ Back to Top
How long can I leave my tissues in Rapid Fix™? Tissues can be fixed twice as fast as routine formalin and tissues can be left in Rapid Fix™ up to one week without over-fixation. ↑ Back to Top
How long are the decalcification times with Rapid Cal™? Decalcification times will ultimately depend on how large the specimen is. Here is a general chart to follow:
11 gauge 35 minutes 8 gauge 50 minutes
Generally, the times on decalcification are much faster than these however, these are the recommended times. Degradation of histology and over decalcification will only occur after 48 hours. ↑ Back to Top
How long do I fix tissues in B-Plus™? Fixation times ultimately depend on how large the tissue is; however, the minimum time for maximum nuclear detail is approximately 2.5-3 hours. Over-fixation is not a problem with B-Plus™, in fact, leaving tissues in B-Plus for extended periods of time will only improve your histologic results. ↑ Back to Top
How long does Powdered Formalin™? Powdered Formalin™ takes about 5-15 minutes to mix. The warmer the water, the faster it goes. If you do not have access to warm or hot water in your lab, cold water will be fine however it will take a bit longer to mix. ↑ Back to Top
How many blocks can I put through Rapid Fix™? There is no difference between formalin and Rapid Fix™ with change-out procedures. ↑ Back to Top
How many blocks can I run through Processor Fix 1™ and 2™? Please e-mail support@bbcus.com for a detailed chart based on how many blocks you process per day. Due to the various processor schedules used, this number may be different based on different times. ↑ Back to Top
How many Xylene substitues are there? There are many companies that make xylene substitutes. Some popular ones are Citrasol, Bioclear, Americlear, etc… These substitutes are very similar in their makeup and most all of them will work the same. ↑ Back to Top
How often do I change P1™, P2™ and P3™? Please e-mail support@bbcus.com or call (800) 635-4477 for change out schedules. ↑ Back to Top
Is B-Plus™ compatible with special stains? B-Plus™ is compatible with all special stains and fixatives. ↑ Back to Top
Using Powdered Formalin™, are fixation times the same as 10% NBF? When using Powdered Formalin™ we recommend that you treat fixation and staining in all aspects of pathology the same as if you were using 10% NBF. ↑ Back to Top
What is Powdered Formalin™, really? Powdered Formalin is indeed formalin. It is a patented method of creating formalin from a powder form. If you wish to view the patent, you may e-mail us at support@bbcus.com. ↑ Back to Top
Is P3™ ethanol? P3™ is not 100% ethanol. P3™ is a certain percentage of ethanol and a certain percentage of isopropanol. This helps dramatically in the dehydration process. ↑ Back to Top
Is Processor Fix 1™ and 2™ expensive? Processor Fix 1™ & 2™ is priced very similar to formalin pricing. Quantity breaks are available. ↑ Back to Top
Is Rapid Cal™ compatible with special stains? Rapid Cal™ is compatible with all fixatives and special stains. ↑ Back to Top
Is Rapid Fix™ compatible with special stains? Rapid Fix™ will work well with all special stains and routine staining. Rapid Fix™ is not designed to change any staining results however it is designed to fix tissues completely. By having tissues fixed thoroughly, staining results may be improved. If you have questions about a specific stain using Rapid Fix™, please e-mail support@bbcus.com. ↑ Back to Top
What are the processor station times using Processor Fix 1™ and 2™? The station times that are setup with Processor Fix 1™ & 2™ are customized for your facility. This will ensure the best fixation. These fixatives, however, can be substituted in the formalin stations using the same times yet not recommended. ↑ Back to Top
What are the common smells associated with xylene substitutes? P4™ and S3-Histo™ has a faint sent of kerosene associated with it. There are many other substitutes that smell like citrus, diesel, and other aliphatic hydrocarbon type odors. Most of these substitutes also have inhalation hazards, though not nearly as hazardous as the inhalation hazard from xylene. ↑ Back to Top
What are the hazards of xylene and xylene substitutes? Xylene substitutes generally don’t have ethyl benzene in them. Ethyl benzene is the most hazardous component found in xylene and is a cancer suspect agent. Substitutes attempt to eliminate this hazardous product in them to avoid this specific hazard. Most substitutes are in fact flammable and have other side effects. ↑ Back to Top
What are the hazards of Powdered Formalin™? The hazards of Powdered Formalin™ are the same as 10% NBF when mixed. When in the powdered state, there are very slight inhalation hazards. It will cause sensitivity of the mucous membranes. ↑ Back to Top
What are the processor station times for P1™, P2™ and P3™? In order to get the best dehydration on your processor, we feel that customizing your station times to your specifications will produce the best results. Please e-mail support@bbcus.com or call (800) 635-4477 for custom station times. ↑ Back to Top
What is in B-Plus™? B-Plus™ is a trade secret however we can tell you that it does not contain mercury and can be disposed of the same as your formaldehyde containing products. Keep in mind, there are trace amounts of zinc in this product and thus needs be disposed of accordingly. If you have further questions, please e-mail support@bbcus.com. ↑ Back to Top
What is in Processor Fix 1™ and 2™? Processor Fix 1™ & 2™ is specially buffered formalin similar to Rapid-Fix with a few differences. There are specific buffers used in these products to reduce the buffer buildup that occurs in most routine processor schedules. Not only does Processor Fix 1™ & 2™ fix your tissues twice as fast, but it also reduces the cleanup for your processor. ↑ Back to Top
What is in Rapid Fix™? Rapid Fix™ is a specially formulated formalin that contains special buffers to allow the fixations times to be twice as fast as that of 10% NBF. This product contains no alcohol or acid. ↑ Back to Top
What is the brown stain at the bottom of the Rapid Cal™ bottle? Because of some of the additives use in Rapid-Cal, a brown stain will sometimes appear at the bottom of the container. This is normal and does not need to be filtered out. ↑ Back to Top
What is the expiration of Rapid Cal™? Rapid Cal™ expires after 2 years. ↑ Back to Top
What kind of acid does Rapid Cal™ use? The main acid that is in Rapid Cal™ is Hydrochloric Acid. There are other special acids in the product but are only used to reduce over-decalcification and inhibit degradation of histology. ↑ Back to Top
What tissues can go in Rapid Fix™ All tissues can be fixed in Rapid Fix™. Because Rapid-Fix was designed to speed up fixation and make cutting easier, it was formulated to fix any tissue required. ↑ Back to Top
Where do I use the Rapid Fix™? Rapid Fix™ was designed to be placed at the grossing station. It can be placed on your processor however we recommend our Processor Fix setup to reduce buffer cleanout. ↑ Back to Top
Who uses B-Plus™? If you would like to contact some facilities that are using B-Plus, please e-mail support@bbcus.com or call (800) 365-4477. ↑ Back to Top
Does B-Plus™ work with immuno studies and/or procedures? B-Plus™ will work very well with all immuno studies and all special stains. Increased sensitivity with most immuno studies has been an important advantage to using B-Plus over any other fixative for the appropriate tissues. ↑ Back to Top
Do xylene substitutes clean the processor or deparaffinize it? P4™ along with many other xylene substitutes will not deparaffinize blocks and they will not clean the processor. There are other substitutes that are manufactured by us that will in fact clean the processor and deparaffinize tissues. ↑ Back to Top
WIll Processor Fix 1™ and 2™ work with immuno studies? Processor-Fix 1™ & 2™ will work very well with immuno studies and special stains. ↑ Back to Top
Does Rapid Cal™ work with immuno studies and/or procedures? Rapid Cal™ will work well with all immuno studies. ↑ Back to Top
Introduction to xylene substitutes No xylene substitute is better as a clearent than xylene. A clearant must be miscible with alcohol and paraffin. Additionally, it should rapidly replace alcohol during clearing. Xylene substitutes can work well if the chemistry of the replacement clearant is understood. Few clearants work as rapidly as xylene and their relative ability to clear alcohols and penetrate paraffin must also be well understood. ↑ Back to Top
