Time needed for rinsing the decalcification specimen by tap water.

ABSTRACT

Objectives: To determine a proper time for neutralizing the decalcified specimen by rinsing with tap water. Methods: Fix pork from fresh market in routine fixative for 24 hours, put into 5% nitric acid for 24 hours to 7 days. Then rinse in running tap water for 1-48 hours. Process and cut the specimens into slide, attain with H&E stain. Distribute to three pathologists to evaluate the quality of staining and microscopic detail. Results: Neutralizing for 2 hours or longer yields similar microscopic to the specimen that soaked in acid for 72 hours or less. The histologic feature is not recovered in the soaked in acid longer than 72 hours, no matter how long it is neutralized. Discussion: The result shows no benefit in rinsing the decalcified specimen longer than 2 hours, and soaking in acid longer than 72 hours causes permanent artifact.