Table 2. Chemical and bio-hazard characteristics of formalin and alternative fixatives.
| Fixatives | Chemical composition |
pH | Health and safety |
Carcinogenic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formalin (neutral buffered) |
Formaldehyde 4% | 7–7.2 | R23/24/25; R34; R40 S26 30/37/39; S45; S21 |
Yes |
| Bouin's fixative | Picric acid Formaldehyde Glacial acetic acid |
1.75 |
R40; R43 S26; S36/37; S45 |
Yes |
| Hollande's fixative | Picric acid Copper acetate Formaldehyde Mercury Cloruro II |
3.9 | R23/24/25; R43 S28; S45 |
No |
| Greenfix | Ethandial Ethanol |
4–5.5 | R10; R36/38; S7; S26; S36/37 |
No |
| UPM | Ethanol Methanol 2-Propanol Formalin |
Not applicable |
ND | ND |
| CyMol | Ethanol Methanol 2-Propanol |
Not applicable |
R11; R23/24/25; R36; R39; R67 S16; S33; S23; S24/25 |
No |
ND, not determined, research product.