Skip to main content
Log in

Commercially available ‘pure’ Azure dyes — caveat emptor

  • Letter to the Editor
  • Published:
The Histochemical Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Conclusion

Of the batches of dye examined only one (Azure B, Merck number YE 132) can be regarded as being of acceptable quality. This material retails at $6.60/g for a 250 g lot, and may be considered to be reasonably priced. The quality of all Serva's ‘pure’ dyes is alarmingly poor and leaves much to be desired. In view of the fact that these dyes retail at $700.00/g, the purchaser should expect to obtain analytically pure material. It is hoped that this note may persuade users of commercially available ‘pure’ Azure dyes to check the purity of any samples they might possess: manufacturers' claims should not be accepted at face value.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

References

  • Ball, J. &Jackson, D. S. (1953). Histological, chromatographic and spectrophotometric studies of Toluidine Blue.Stain Technol. 28, 33–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kramer, H. &Windrum, G. M. (1955). The metachromatic staining reaction.J. Histochem. Cytochem. 3, 227–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Löhr, W., Sohmer, I. &Wittekind, D. (1974). The Azure dyes: their purification and physicochemical properties. I. Purification of Azure A.Stain Technol. 49, 359–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Löhr, W., Grubhofer, N., Sohmer, I. &Wittekind, D. (1975). The Azure dyes: their purification and physicochemical properties. II. Purification of Azure B.Stain Technol. 50, 149–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lubrano, G. J., Dean, W. W., Heinsohn, H. G. &Stastny, M. (1977). The analysis of some commercial dyes and Romanowsky stains by high-performance liquid chromatography.Stain Technol. 52, 13–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, P. N., &Lewis, S. M. (1974). Batch variations in commercial dyes employed for Romanowsky-type staining: a thin-layer chromatographic study.Stain Technol. 49, 351–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, P. N. &Lewis, S. M. (1975a). Metal contaminants in commercial thiazine dyes.Stain Technol. 50, 143–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, P. N. &Lewis, S. M. (1975b). The purification of Methylene Blue and Azure B by solvent extraction and crystallization.Stain Technol. 50, 375–81.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, P. N., Bentley, S. A. &Lewis, S. M. (1975). A standardized Romanowsky stain prepared from purified dyes.J. clin. Path. 28, 920–3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, P. N., Bentley, S. A. &Lewis, S. M. (1978). Standardization of Romanowsky stains. The relationship between stain composition and performance.Scand. J. Haematol. 20, 206–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mowry, R. W. &Kasten, F. H. (1975). The importance of dye purification and standardization in biomedicine.Stain Technol. 50, 65–81.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wittekind, D. &Löhr, W. (1975). Purification, standardization and quality control of Romanowsky stains. In:Quality Control in Haematology. Symposium of the International Committee for Standardization in Haematology (Eds. S. M. Lewis and J. F. Coster), pp. 143–152. London: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wittekind, D., Kretschmer, V. &Löhr, W. (1976). Kann Azur B-Eosin die May-Grünwald-Giemsa-Färbung ersetzen?Blut 32, 71–8.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Marshall, P.N. Commercially available ‘pure’ Azure dyes — caveat emptor. Histochem J 11, 489–493 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01002776

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01002776

Keywords

Navigation