Chris -

Randee Kline wrote an answer to a similar question, which was published
in
the April 1999 ASCP "Laboratory Medicine." (under Q&A section)

Her answer was, in a nut shell, it is very difficult to "standardize"
the
shelf life of chemicals, due to how they are stored, how often they are
reused, the lab's temperature/humidity, under what conditions the
chemicals
were shipped, etc.

As John Kiernan stated in his reply, his lab has found they need to use
different shelf life times compared to the some chemicals found in the
list of shelf life times found in Charles Churukian's book.

However, if you NEED some starting point, start with Charles' list, and
modify as you know what happens in your lab. That's what I did in the
student lab. (This also helped my students to see that shelf life
varies, 
and the need to QC their own chemicals in their own lab.)

********************
Peggy A. Wenk, HTL(ASCP)
William Beaumont Hospital
Royal Oak, MI 48073

"Hendry, Chris I" wrote:
> 
> I was wondering if anyone had information on the shelf lives of commonly
> used histological chemicals, stock solutions, working solutions, stains,
> etc. I think it would be a good reference for most people if such a list
> existed.  Thank you in advance.
> 
> > Chris Hendry
> > Graduate Student
> > University of New Brunswick/
> > Department of Fisheries and Oceans
> > Biological Station
> > St. Andrews, NB E0G 2X0 Canada
> > (506) 529-8854 Phone
> > (506) 529-5862 Fax
> > e-mail: hendryc@mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
> > URL: http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hall/9440
> >
> > To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is
> > research.
> >
> >