Embalming Chemicals and their use Flashcards
Chemicals used to treat the dead human body for purpose other than arterial embalming or cavity treatment - autopsy gel concentrated disinfectant powder, sealing agents
Accessory
Ingredient of embalming fluids that retards the natural postmortem tendency of blood to become more viscous or prevents adverse reactions between blood and other embalming chemicals.
Anti-coagulants
Concentrated, preservative, embalming chemical that is diluted with water to form the arterial solution for injection into the arterial system during vascular embalming. Its purpose is to inactivate saprophytic bacteria and render the body tissues less susceptible to decomposition.
Arteria (vascular) Fluid
Mixture of arterial (vascular) fluid and water used for the arterial injection. May include supplemental fluids.
Arterial solution
Embalming chemical that effects the stabilization of acid-base balance within embalming solutions and in embalmed tissues.
Buffers
Embalming chemical that is injected into a body cavity following aspiration in cavity embalming. Cavity fluid can also be used as the chemical in hypodermic and surface embalming.
Cavity fluid
Supplemental fluid used primarily to enhance the action of vascular (arterial) solutions.
Co-injection fluid
The act of making a liquid weaker in force, content, or value.
Dilution
A chemical entity that donates electrons to another compound.
Donor compounds
Chemical that increases the ability of embalmed tissue to retain moisture.
Humectants
Solution having a greater concentration of dissolved solute than the solution with which it is compared.
Hypertonic
An aqueous solution containing 37% formaldehyde gas by mass in water, or in water and methyl alcohol. The alcohol stabilize the formaldehyde.
Formalin
Reacts through crosslinking to insolubilize both protein and polyhydroxy compounds. It makes changes the nature of protein making it unsuitable as food for bacteria and makes it resistant to decomposition changes.
Glutaraldehyde
A solution having a concentration of dissolved solute equal to that of a standard of reference.
Isotonic
Chemical components of vascular fluids that control the rate and degree of tissue firmness by the fluid utilized (e.g., humectants and buffers); chemicals for which there may be greatly varying demands predicated on the type of embalming, the environment, and the embalming fluid used.
Modifying Agents
Passage of solvent from a solution of lesser to one of greater solute concentration when the two solutions are separated by a semipermeable membrane.
Osmosis
Strength of an embalming fluid, indicated by the number of grams of pure formaldehyde gas dissolved in 100 mL of water. Index usually refers to a percentage; an embalming fluid with an index of 25 usually contains 25% formaldehyde gas. It identifies only the absolute formaldehyde gas present in any given product.
Index
Antiseptic/disinfectant employed to dry moist tissues and to bleach discolored tissues.
Phenol (Carbolic acid)
Fluid injected primarily to prepare the vascular system and body tissues for injection of the preservative vascular (arterial) solution. This solution is injected before the preservative vascular solution is injected.
Pre-injection fluids
Dilution attained as the embalming solution is mixed in the embalming machine.
Primary dilution
White powdery solid containing 95% formaldehyde. Can produce formaldehyde when heated. Moderate Fire risk and can react with oxidizers. Found in embalming/deodorizing powders, sealing powders, cavity desiccants, and hardening compounds.
Paraformaldehyde
Supplemental fluid, used with the regular arterial solution, whos purpose is to retain body moisture and retard dehydration,
Restorative fluids humectant)
Dilution of the embalming fluid by the fluids in the body, both vascular and interstitial.
Secondary dilution
Fluids designed for use with special body conditions such as jaundice, renal failure, extensive burns, or decomposition.
Special purpose fluid
A fluid the embalmer injects prior to the preservative solution (e.g., preinjection fluid) or adds to the preservative solution to enhance certain qualities of the preservative fluid (e.g., coinjection, dye, humectant, and water conditioner).
Supplemental fluid
Chemical that reduces the molecular cohesion of a liquid so that it can flow through smaller apertures.
Surfactants
Liquid that serves as solvent for the numerous ingredients incorporated into embalming fluids.
Vehicles
Arterial injection of an embalming solution composed of arterial fluid, humectant, and coinjection fluid. No water is added to the solution.
Waterless embalming
