The problem occurs during which step?

• A. Flotation
• B. Staining
• C. Embedding
• D. Dehydration

Answer: (A)

The problem points to the flotation step because this is where paraffin sections are placed on a warm water bath to relax, loosen, and flatten them before mounting on slides. If issues appear at this stage, you’ll typically see sections that don’t lie flat, develop wrinkles or folds, or tear when attempting to transfer them.

Common causes include the water bath temperature being off: if the bath is too cool, the paraffin-softened tissue won’t relax and will resist flattening; if the bath is too hot, the paraffin can become overly soft and sections can distort or melt, creating folds. Debris or contaminants in the bath or on the slides can trap air, producing bubbles or uneven adhesion. Handling errors during transfer, or sections being pulled or stretched too aggressively, also lead to wrinkling or tearing at this stage.

Understanding this helps you identify flotation as the step where the problem originates and guides you toward adjusting bath temperature, cleaning the bath, and gentle handling to resolve it.