Module 5: Embalming Chemicals

Question 1

Arterial Fluid

Answer 1

Arterial concentrated preservative embalming chemical that will be diluted with water to form the arterial solution for injection into arterial system during vascular embalming

Question 2

Arterial solution

Answer 2

The in-use solution composed of the concentrated embalming fluid diluted with water and other additive (supplemental) chemicals for injection into the body

Question 3

Cavity fluid

Answer 3

Concentrated embalming chemicals, which are injected into the cavities of the body following aspiration in cavity embalming. This chemical can be used for surface and hypodermic embalming

Question 4

Supplemental fluid

Answer 4

Fluid injected for purposes other than preservation and disinfection. Some are injected before the preservative solution others are injected with the preservative solution (pre-injection and co-injection fluids; water corrected fluid)

Question 5

Accessory chemical

Answer 5

Group of chemicals used in addition to vascular and cavity embalming fluids; most are applied to the body surface (gels and powders)

Question 6

Special purpose fluid

Answer 6

Loads designed for use with special body conditions such as jaundice or bodies requiring a high preservative demand as seen in body is good renal failure, extensive burns, or decomposition

Question 7

Formaldehyde

Answer 7

A colorless gas at ambient temperature . It has a strong irritating odor and is very soluble in water

Question 8

Formalin

Answer 8

An aqueous solution of formaldehyde gas dissolved in water

Question 9

Paraformaldehyde

Answer 9

A white, powdery, solid polymer form of formaldehyde

Question 10

Index

Answer 10

Refers only to the amount of formaldehyde gas present in any given product

Question 11

Donor compounds

Answer 11

A chemical compound that slowly releases formaldehyde

Question 12

Glutaraldehyde

Answer 12

In the early 1950s the method was developed that made it possible to manufacture the five carbon, straight chain dialdehyde gluteraldehyde

Question 13

Phenol

Answer 13

Also known as carbolic acid is classified as a preservative as well as a germicide is one of the most commonly found components of both arterial and cavity fluids manufactured in the early days of the fluid industry today it is used chiefly in cavity fluid formulations phenol is like coal-tar derivatives that is a colorless crystalline solid

Question 14

Quats

Answer 14

Quaternary ammonium compounds, also called quats or QACs, are a group of chemicals used for a variety of purposes including as preservatives, surfactants, antistatic agents and as active ingredients in disinfectants and sanitizers.

Question 15

Vehicles

Answer 15

Substances that transport or carry chemicals through the body

Question 16

Dye

Answer 16

Coloring agent that closely simulates the natural coloring of tissues

Question 17

Salts

Answer 17

By desiccation assault pulled the water out of the cells depriving them of the water needed for normal metabolism this type of preservation does not usually produce viewable results as sought by modern embalming

Question 18

Modifying agents

Answer 18

• Control the rate of action of the main preservative chemicals of embalming formulations.
• Consists of Buffers, Humectants , Anticoagulants and Surfactants

Question 19

Buffers

Answer 19

help to balance the pH (acid-base levels) in the body of the deceased in order to make formaldehyde work better

formaldehyde works better in alkaline or basic pH levels so when rigor mortis sets in the body becomes more acidic from the breakdown of the muscles and buffers are needed to help balance the pH levels for better preservation

Question 20

Humectants

Answer 20

Adds moisture to the tissue in order to make the body look more natural

Question 21

Anti-coagulants

Answer 21

Water conditioning agents:

1. Used to maintain blood in a liquid state and make it easy to remove from the circulatory system. Inhibits or stops blood clots.
2. Reducing hardness of water, enhances function of arterial fluid. the interfering chemicals such as calcium, magnesium and iron prevent the preservative chemicals from performing their intended function of penetrating soft tissue.
3. Produce a most desirable alkaline condition that enhance the coloring properties and action of dyes.
4. Helps attain greater firmness by the help of water conditioning agents acting as a buffering agent.

Question 22

Surfactants

Answer 22

A wetting agent that lowers surface tension in tiny capillary tubes

Question 23

Pre-injection fluids

Answer 23

A pre injection fluid it is injected into the body before the preservative arterial solution is injected

Question 24

Co-injection fluid

Answer 24

An arterial fluid and a coinjection fluid shift combined to form a homogeneous solution that can be distributed and diffused throughout the body

Question 25

Restorative fluids

Answer 25

Humectant is really a coinjecion fluid added and injected along with the arterial fluid.

Question 26

Edema fluid

Answer 26

Collective ejection chemical that you use tissue swelling

Question 27

Dilution

Answer 27

weakened by the addition of water or another solvent.

Question 28

Primary dilution

Answer 28

The Dilution attained as the embalming solution is mixed in the embalming machine. - determined by embalming analysis and prepared by the embalmer

Question 29

Waterless embalming

Answer 29

Adding no additional water to embalming chemicals that are used

Question 30

Secondary dilution

Answer 30

The weakening of the embalming fluid by the fluids in the body, both vascular and interstitial.

Conditions that will cause this to vary :

• Edema
• Dehydration

Question 31

Osmosis

Answer 31

• The passage of a solvent from a solution of lesser to one of greater solute concentration when the two solutions are separated by a semipermeable membrane
• Process by which most embalming chemicals move from the interstitial fluids through the cell wall and into the cell

Question 32

Hypotonic

Answer 32

• A solution having a lesser concentration of dissolved solute than the solution to which it is compared
• A hypotonic solution will move toward the more concentrated solution (try to create a state of equilibrium/balance between the two)

Question 33

Hypertonic

Answer 33

• A solution having a greater concentration of dissolved solute than the solution to which it is compared
• Will not move; instead the other solution will move toward it to create equilibrium/balance

Question 34

Isotonic

Answer 34

• A solution having an equal concentration of dissolved solute to that which it is compared
• Tends to be no movement since the two solutions are already in a state of equilibrium/balance