To prevent formalin pigment, what pH should the fixative maintain?

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Multiple Choice

To prevent formalin pigment, what pH should the fixative maintain?

Explanation:
Formalin pigment forms when the fixative becomes acidic, enabling reactions that produce a brown-black pigment in the tissue. To prevent this, keep the fixative in a non-acidic range by maintaining a pH above 6.0. In practice, buffered formalin with a pH around 7.0–7.4 is used to sustain this alkaline/near-neutral environment and minimize pigment formation. If the pH drops below 6, pigment formation becomes more likely, and very acidic conditions (well below 6) further promote it. While around 7.0 would also prevent pigment, the essential guideline is to keep the fixative above 6.0.

Formalin pigment forms when the fixative becomes acidic, enabling reactions that produce a brown-black pigment in the tissue. To prevent this, keep the fixative in a non-acidic range by maintaining a pH above 6.0. In practice, buffered formalin with a pH around 7.0–7.4 is used to sustain this alkaline/near-neutral environment and minimize pigment formation. If the pH drops below 6, pigment formation becomes more likely, and very acidic conditions (well below 6) further promote it. While around 7.0 would also prevent pigment, the essential guideline is to keep the fixative above 6.0.

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