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SPECIMEN
COLLECTION: Fixatives
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using 5%
versus 10% formalin?
Although
5% formalin is thought to provide
a more "gentle" fixation of protozoa, this concentration
formalin will not always kill all helminth eggs. The 10% formalin
will kill most helminth eggs (exception: Ascaris lumbricoides),
but may be more damaging to protozoa. In reality, most people
probably can't tell the difference by examining clinical specimens
preserved in either 5% or 10% formalin. for environmental
reasons, some laboratories have elected to use only the 5%
concentration. |
