Embalming chemicals

Cavity

concentrated fluid that is not diluted. Injected in the cavity following aspiration.May also be used for surface and hypodermic embalming.

Supplemental

chemicals used for purposes other than preserve or disinfectant

Accessory Chemicals

applied to the surface of the body. Gels or Powders

Special purpose fluids

arterial chemicals for special body conditions such as jaundice, burns, decomposition, or bodies that require high preservative demand

Arterial fluid

Concentrated preservative embalming chemical for injection into the arterial system during vascular embalming

Arterial solution or primary solution

arterial fluid mixed with water and other
chemicals in the embalming machine.

Index

Strength of embalming fluids indicated by the number of grams of pure formaldehyde gas dissolved in 100 ml of solution; usually refers to a percentage

Arterial solution function

to disinfect, preserve and firm the tissues without causing objectionable changes in the tissues

Low index

5 to 15 index.

Low concentration of disinfectants and preservatives.

Minimum amount of firming.

Medium index

16 to 25 index

Moderate concentration

High index

28 to 38 or above index
high concentration of disinfectant and
preservatives cause a rapid tissue coagulation and high firmness.

ways to classify arterial fluids

Index

concentration

coloring agents

active dyes

produce internal cosmetic effect within body tissues

Inactive dyes

only give color to the fluid in the bottle

components of arterial fluid

preservatives

disinfectants

vehicles

dyes

masking agents

modifying agents

Preservatives

chemicals that react with proteins to slow decomposition for a temporary period of time

2 most common preservatives used in arterial fluid

formaldehyde and methyl alcohol

Aldehyde based preservatives

Formaldehyde
Paraformaldehyde

Dialdehydes

Formalin

is the most common form of formaldehyde found in arterial fluids. Formalin contains 37% formaldehyde gas by mass in water and 40% formaldehyde by volume.

Paraformaldehyde

solid form of formaldehyde. Powder used in
embalming and hardening compounds

Glutaraldehyde

Unlike formaldehyde reacts with proteins over a wide pH range. It is a liquid a room temperature. Effective against viruses and spores which makes it more effective as a disinfectant than formaldehyde

Non-aldehyde based preservatives

Phenol (phenolic compounds) – aka Carbolic Acid

Alcohols

Phenol (phenolic compounds) – aka Carbolic Acid

preservative and germicide. Readily penetrates skin and rapidly absorbed. Used in Jaundice fluids because the phenol will not cause dark green discoloration like formaldehyde. Properties: preservative, germicide, bleaching agent, cautery agent, reducing agent drying agent. May cause “putty gray” discoloration of the tissues. CAVITY FLUIDS, SURFACE CHEMICALS

Methanol

used in HCHO solutions to prevent polymerization of
HCHO into paraformaldehyde, which allows more HCHO to be dissolved. Outstanding preservative, excellent germicide, a good solvent for the other chemicals, excellent penetrator of the tissues, a good bleaching agent, a good vehicle for other ingredients, and a stabilizer of formaldehyde

Disinfectants

chemical agents used chiefly on inanimate objects to destroy or inhibit the growth of harmful organisms, most notably bacteria and fungi. However, most disinfectants do NOT kill endospores

Vehicles

all preservatives and compounds must be dissolved in a solvent. The solvent must be compatible with all the compounds

Only 2 used

water

methyl alcohol

active dyes that impart color to tissues

Eosine

Erythrosine

Amaranth

Ponceau red

Masking agents (perfuming agents)

cover harsh chemical odors and give “pleasant” odor to embalming solution (sassafras, oil of wintergreen, mimic fruits- there is a cucumber-melon arterial fluid!)

Modifying agents

Necessary to ensure thorough saturation of tissues. Formaldehyde (HCHO) is very harsh, sears walls of capillaries, prevents diffusion into tissues. We need to delay the effect to have uniform distribution of the fluid.

Components of modifying agents

Humectants

Buffers

Anticoagulants

Surfactants

Humectants

Help control moisture balance. They “coat” formaldehyde.

Hydrate tissues, making tissue more flexible

Buffers

buffer the pH” Substances that in solution are capable of neutralizing, within limits, both acids and bases and thereby maintaining the original, or a constant pH, of the solution. Embalmer should try to maintain pH as close to neutral as possible.

Anticoagulants (water conditioning agents)

Sequesters Calcium (combats hard water by removing calcium ions out of tap water). Help maintain blood in a liquid state so it is easier to remove.

Anticoagulants examples

Improves drainage
Softens water
Enhances dyes
Better tissue firming
*will not liquify preexisting clots

Surfactants

Reduce water tension which helps embalming solution
enter cell membranes. Increases diffusion of preservatives through capillary walls

Cavity fluid components

Preserve, disinfectant and deodorizes organs and hollow areas
Doesn’t have modifying agents (humectants) or dyes.
Phenol commonly used.
We don’t use cavity fluids in the arterial solution because it will turn tissue grey. (ok there are a few exceptions but we’ll discuss that later)

Supplemental fluids

enhance or expand the performance of an embalming solution.

Supplemental fluids component

pre-injections,

co-injections,

correctives, dyes,
humectant (restorative) fluid,

edema reducing fluid,

tissue gas co-injection,

internal bleach
stain removers

Pre-injection (primary injection fluids, capillary washes)

Injected PRIOR to the preservative solution to prepare the circulatory system for injection of arterial preservative solution. Promote expansion of the capillaries and a more liquid state of blood, adjusts the pH to reduce graying, blood coagulation, improve
distribution, drainage. Diluted with water. Give time to work before injecting arterial solution. These fluids include water conditioners, anticoagulants, humectants, and sometimes low concentrations of preservatives. Often injected against closed drainage (inject without drainage). Never used for autopsy cases

Co-injection

similar in composition to pre-injection fluids but are mixed into the primary vascular solution for injection. Enhance distribution, diffusion and drainage. Embalming solution is more effective with co-injection chemicals. Use in equal amounts of arterial fluid or color blotching may occur. Used in waterless
embalming and instant tissue fixation. Often the same as your pre-injection just “poured in” your arterial solution. Examples would be Pierce one point or Dodge Metaflow/Permaflow.

Water correctives

remove Calcium from Tap Water, takes place of water in waterless embalming. Use too much and you could get blotching.

Water correctives examples

Dodge Rectifiant

Pierce Water Conditioner

Special purpose arterial fluid

Jaundice fluids

High-index fluids

Tissue gas fluids

Jaundice fluids

Treat jaundice. Dodge Jaundofiant, Pierce Jaundibalm

Jaundice fluids components

May or may not contain formaldehyde. If so.. very low amount. The arterial injection of a jaundice case with a normal or high strength formaldehyde-based fluid may cause a green skin discoloration

Buffers
Bleaching agents
Reducing agents

Accessory chemicals/fluids

Chemicals for purposes other than arterial embalming or cavity treatment (un-autopsied). Used on the surface

Accessory chemicals/fluids components

Hardening compounds,

mold preventative agent
preservative powders,

sealing agents,

surface applicants,

cauterizing agents

Hardening compounds

powders designed to dry moist tissues may contain
paraformaldehyde, disinfectants, deodorants. Primary use is the treatment of cavities and viscera of autopsied bodies or placed inside plastic garments to absorb moisture. Plaster of paris, paraformaldehyde, wood powder. Sometimes looks like sawdust

Autopsy compounds

similar to hardening but specially designed for autopsy or full tissue donors. Absorb moisture, preserve, form and sanitize. Dodge Viscerock, Pierce Hardening Compound

Preservative powders

preserve by either direct contact with tissues or through gaseous vapors

Mold Inhibitors

gels or sprays

Sealing agents

powders used to dry incisions, external agents such as glues (superglue aron alpha), brush-on or spray on

Surface applicants

tissue builder/tissue filler is injected by hypodermic syringe AFTER arterial embalming. Fill in sunken areas of face and hands

Cauterizing agents

PHENOL. Used to dry tissues such as burns, abrasions, skin slip. BLEACH the skin

Eco-friendly fluids

Biodegradable and environmentally friendly, do not contain formaldehyde, minimal to no firming, temporary stabilization only, may be approved for green and natural burial

Secondary Dilution

During injection the solution becomes more diluted when mixed with body fluids

In general, a —-- solution is required to thoroughly preserve body tissues, but this is adjusted based on the condition of the body

2%

Arterial solution mild

1.0% - 1.99%

Arterial solution moderate

2.0% - 3.99%

Arterial solution strong

4.0% and above

Waterless Embalming

Based on the theory that water does not preserve. In reality it is not really waterless because the tap water is substituted with supplemental co-injection fluids such as water conditioners,
humectants, co-inection.

Provides maximum tissue preservation using a minimum volume of arterial solution. Face trauma,
moderate decomposition, sepsis, tissue gas, frozen tissues, difficult cases.. or some embalmers use
it for every case

Solvent

a substance that does the dissolving in a solution. The component of a solution present in a greater amount. If you add a teaspoon of salt to a gallon of water, water is the solvent

Solute

a substance dissolved to form a solution; the component of a solution present in a lesser amount. If you add a teaspoon of salt to a gallon of water, salt is the solute.

Solution

a homogeneous mixture of one or more substances (solutes) dissolved in a sufficient quantity of a solvent. Salt + Water = Solution

Density

is defined as mass per unit volume. We compare the density of a given substance with the density of water

Specific gravity

is the ratio of density of substance with density of water. If a substance has a specific gravity of 2, it means that compared with the density of water, the substance is 2 times more dense

Hypotonic solution

contains less of a dissolved substance than is found in blood. Hypotonic solutions ADD water to tissues. Humectants. A Hypotonic solution for dehydrated bodies

Hypertonic solution

contain more of a dissolved substance than is found in blood. Hypertonic solutions REMOVE water from tissues. High-index fluids. Use Hypertonic solutions for
edematous bodfies

Formaldehyde disadvantages

• Rapidly coagulates blood

• Turns tissues gray when mixed with blood

• Fixes discolorations

• Dehydrates tissues

• Constricts capillaries

• Deteriorates with age

• Odor 

  • Oxidizes to formic acid

  • Decomposes to an alcohol and organic salt

• Possible carcinogen and irritant

Formaldehyde advantages

• 100% organic 

• Inexpensive

• Bactericidal

• Inhibits growth of yeast and mold

• Rapidly acts on body proteins

• Only a small % needed

• Rapid fixation 

• Deodorizes body amines

• Increases cellular diffusion

• Destroys putrefactive organisms