Butanol is used for dehydrating which type of material?

• A. Animal tissue.
• B. Plant material.
• C. Bacterial cultures.
• D. Fungal spores.

Answer: (B)

Butanol is used for dehydrating plant material because plant tissues have tough, water-filled cells with rigid walls that can be damaged by rapid dehydration. Being a larger, slower-penetrating alcohol, butanol removes water more gently than ethanol, helping to preserve the delicate plant cell structures and reduce shrinkage or distortion during dehydration. This gentler approach is particularly beneficial for plant tissues, whereas animal tissues and most microbial samples are typically dehydrated with standard ethanol or other common dehydrants.