The demonstration of beryllium oxide in paraffin sections with chromoxane stains.

Abstract

Aqueous solutions of the arylmethane dyes Chromoxane pure blue BLD (C.I. No. 43825) and Chromoxane pure blue B (C.I. No. 43830) will stain beryllium oxide. In the presence of EDTA the staining of other metals is masked. As a specific stain for BeO, formol saline fixed paraffin sections are hydrated and stained for 1 hr with either 0.1 gm of pure blue BLD in 100 ml of pH 4.0 Na-acetate buffer or with 0.1 gm of pure blue B in 1 N NaOH adjusted to pH 9.0 with HCl. To mask interference from other metal ions, 9 gm of Na2-EDTA is added to 100 ml of the stain solution. BeO is stained blue, organic tissue components are either unstained or pink. Results of tests against other materials show that a high degree of specificity may be expected from these dyes. A 1% aqueous solution of neutral red may be used as a counterstain.