MCC Mortuary Science Embalming Chemistry & Toxicology Test

What are some examples of Deodorants/masking agents/perfuming materials?

1. BENZALDEHYDE, 2. OIL of CLOVES, 3. OIL of SASSAFRAS, 4. Oil of WINTERGREEN.

What are some examples of Dyes?

1. EOSIN, 2. PONCEAU RED, 3. ERYHOROSIN.

What are some examples of preservatives and germicides?

1. PHENOL 'C6H5OH', 2. ISOPROPANOL 'CH3CHOHH3', 3. ETHANOL 'CH3CH2OH', 4. METHANOL 'CH3OH', 5. GLUTERALDEHYDE 'CHO, CH2, 3CHO', 6. FORMALDEHYDE 'HCHO'.

Medium fluids are usually what index?

16-25 Index.

Strong fluids are usually what index?

26-36 Index.

Weak fluids are usually what index?

5-15 Index.

What is Glutaraldehyde?

A 5-carbon dialdehyde.

What is BMC 'Bis-Methyl-Chloride'?

A carcinogenic agent 'cancer causing' caused when chlorine is in the presence of formaldehyde.

What is Hydrolysis?

A chemical reaction in which a substance is broken down or dissociated by water; a reaction between a salt and water to yield an acid and a base of unequal strengths.

In reference to embalming and embalming chemistry, what does 'searing the tissue with formaldehyde' mean?

If tissue has epidermis, won't notice searing. Tissue with exposed dermis turns brown when exposed to formaldehyde. Dries out and gets hard.

What are some reactions of formaldehyde with water?

In water it exists as methylene glycol and produces energy. It is generally not a stable compound.

What is Ponceau red?

Inactive, simply gives fluid a red color. Ponceau (French for "poppy-colored") is the generic name for a family of azo dyes: Ponceau S, Acid Red 112 is a sodium salt of a diazo dye

What is co-injection?

Injection of fluids at the same time as arterial fluid.

What are some examples of fillers?

Perlite (volcanic rock that looks like cork and wont absorb moisture), cellulose (sawdust), wadded up newspaper.

What is Amaranth?

Red Dye No 2 is a dark red to purple azo dye once used as a food dye and or color cosmetics, but since 1976 i has been banned in the U.S. as it is a suspected carcinogen. May still be used on the tissues of the deceased.

What are some examples of surfactants?

SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE, SULFONATES.

What are some examples of buffers?

SODIUM PHOSPHATES, CITRATES, SODIUM SALT of EDTA, BORAX.

What are some examples of anticoagulants?

SODIUM SALT of EDTA, OXILATES (not used in modern fluids), SODIUM CITRATES (not used in modern fluids)

What is oxidation?

The removal of all hydrogen from the carbon atom leading to CO2.

What is reduction?

The removal of all oxygen from the carbon leading to the CH4 'methane'.

Embalming Chemistry is:

The study of chemical postmortem changes, the composition of embalming fluids, and the interactions between each; the study of those types of matter and changes in matter related to the disinfection and preservation and disinfection process.

What is toxicology?

The study of the nature, effects, and detection of poisons and the treatment of poisoning.

What are surfactants also known as?

Wetting agents; surface tension reducers; penetrating agents; surface active agents.

In reference to embalming and embalming chemistry, what does 'cross-linking action' mean?

occurs between the nitrogen containing portions of the proteins. always nitrogen on 1 end of the molecule allow cross-linkage between 2 adjacent molecules. Many of amino subunits have nitrogen containing compounds in their side-chains. Cross-linking will radially occur between these side chains. This cross-linking will cause further naturalization of the molecule.

Surfactants allow:

water or fluids to flow through smaller openings such as capillaries.

What are some reactions of formaldehyde with amino acids?

A compound containing an amino group '-NH2', a carboxyl group '-COOH', and a radical. Preserves without coagulation, amino acid strand is not long enough to coagulate. Must have a chain of amino acids hooked together with peptide bonds.

Toxin-Antitoxin:

A mixture of a toxin as from diphtheria, and is antitoxin with a slight excess in toxin, formerly used as a vaccine.

What is a preservative?

A naturally occurring or synthetically produced substance that is added to products such as foods, pharmaceuticals, paints, biological samples, wood, and human or biological specimens to prevent decomposition by microbial growth or by undesirable chemical changes such as autolysis of the body by its own enzymes.

A toxicant is:

A poison or poisonous agent.

What is a toxin?

A poisonous substance, having a protein structure, secreted by certain organisms and capable of causing toxicosis when introduced into the body tissues but also capable of inducting a counteragent or an antitoxin.

What is an enzyme?

A protein that acts as a biological catalyst.

What is the antidote?

A remedy or other agent to counteract the effects of a poison.

What is Toxoid?

A toxin that has lost toxicity but has retained the capacity to stimulate the production of or combine with antitoxins used in immunization.

What is the chemistry of decomposition?

AUTOLYSIS--HYDROLYSIS--PUTREFACTION--DECAY.

What is Erythrosine?

Active that imparts color to tissue. Also known as Red No 3, is an organoiodine compound, specifically a derivative of flurone. It is cherry-pink synthetic, primarily used for food coloring.

What are supplementary germicides?

Additional germicides added to embalming fluids but they are not added to all fluids.

What is HCHO?

Aldehyde. 2nd step in partial oxidation process of methane.

What are the preservatives withing embalming fluids?

Aldehydes, Alcohols, and Phenolic compounds.

Glycols:

All have two hydroxl groups

What is Eosine?

An active dye, that imparts color to tissue. Eosin is a fluorescent red dye resulting from the action of bromine on fluorescein. It can be used to stain cytoplasm, collagen, and muscle fibers for examination.

What are aldehydes?

An organic compound containing one or more -CHO groups. The general formula is RCHO where R is a hydrocarbon group or simply hydrogen.

What are alcohols?

An organic compound containing one or more hydroxyl '-OH' groups The general formula for a monohydroxy alcohol is R-OH, where R is a hydrocarbon group.

What are the modifying agents of arterial fluids?

Anticoagulants, humectants, buffers, ad surfactants.

What is toxicosis?

Any pathological condition resulting from poisoning.

What is a poison?

Any substance that imperils health or life when absorbed into the body. Any substance that causes injury or death, especially by chemical means.

There are three categories of fluids for embalming, they are:

Arterial, Cavity, and Accessory Chemicals.

Sorbitol:

Best type. 6 carbon/6 OH groups.

What is the partial oxidation series for methane?

CH4 '4 hydrogens attached to carbon'. 1. Alcohol 'methyl alcohol' CH3OH 3 'hydrogens attached to carbon'. 2. Aldehyde HCHO '2 Hydrogens attached to carbon'. 3. Formic Acid COOH '1 Hydrogen to carbon'. 4. CO2+H20+Energy '0 Hydrogen to carbon'.

What is sequesters calcium?

Calcium is used as a water conditioning agent in blood clotting.

Never use __________ in the presence of Formaldehyde.

Chlorine containing compounds like house hold bleach.

What are humecants?

Class of compounds used as humectants-polyhydroxy alcohols-permute water retention in the tissues of the body. The prefix poly-may be used anytime there are two or more hydroxyl groups, however in actual practice it is not often used until there are four with di- and tri- being used for the 2 and 4 hydroxyl group compounds.

DO NOT use this as a filler:

Cotton.

What is decay?

Decomposition of proteins by the action of enzymes of aerobic bacteria. Usually takes place outside to inside the body and has low odor.

Lanolins:

Emulsified oil (oil held in solution). Soft texture to skin. Glycerol is a decomposition product of Lanolins.

What are some factors influencing the stability of shelf life of embalming fluids?

Extreme Temperature (NEVER store in extreme temperature), Time (2-5 years! remember to rotate stock FIFO), Methanol as an anti-polymerization agent for formaldehyde, pH, and Light.

When arterial fluids are rated from strong, medium, to weak it is according to their:

Firming action.

Some preservatives are referred to as:

Fixatives.

What is pre-injection accessory fluids?

Fluids injected BEFORE the arterial fluids whose purpose is to clear the vascular system of blood and enable the arterial solution to distribute with greater facility.

When arterial fluids are rated from high, medium, and weak it is according to their:

Formaldehyde Index.

What are some examples of preservatives known as fixatives?

Formaldehyde and Glutaraldehyde.

What is HCOOH?

Formic Acid. 3rd step in partial oxidation process of methane.

What are Quarternary Ammonium Compounds?

Generally used as disinfectants for table tops, skin oral and nasal cavities and instruments but may be added to arterial formulations.

How is the most noticeable odor of decomposition neutralized?

HCHO.

Toxic means:

Harmful, destructive, or deadly; poisonous.

In reference to embalming and embalming chemistry, what does the word reversibility mean?

It is the action formaldehyde has no proteins will be reversed in the presences of an abundance of water.

Why is the term fixative used?

Its used because the use of these chemicals "fixes" the tissues in place.

What fluids are the 'go-to' fluids for special embalming conditions?

Jaundice Fluid (which is usually Phenol based, low HCHO index and not much coagulation (firming)). OR High-Indexed fluid which is usually used when restorative art procedure need to be done with edematous cases and decomposition. Also used when chemotherapeutic agents are present.

What are some examples of humectants?

LANOLIN, SORBITOL, GLYCEROL, GLYCOLS.

Medium Index fluids are:

Medium firming fluids

What is CH4?

Methane.

What is CH3OH?

Methyl Alcohol. 1st step in partial oxidation process of methane.

Cavity fluid doesn't have:

Modifying agents (humectants) or dyes.

What is the most noticeable odor of decomposition?

Nitrogen in the proteins.

Inactive dyes:

No Staining.

What are mold inhibitors?

Para-dichlorobenzene is a good mold inhibitor and is sometimes added to arterial formations for that purpose.

What are some chemicals used in autopsy cases?

Paraformaldehyde (white crystalline substance), Aluminum chloride (dehydrating agent), Alum (dehydrating agent), Fillers (used to fill body cavity when the viscera are missing), Plaster of Paris (Dehydrating agent).

What are some reactions of formaldehyde with proteins?

Preserves and coagulates. Denatures-loses 3D structures. Loses ability to imbibe 'hold water'.

What are some reactions of formaldehyde with methanol 'CH3OH'?

Prevents polymerization of formaldehyde or paraformaldeyhde.

What is toxicogenic?

Producing poison or toxic substance.

What are some supplementary germicides?

Quarternary Ammonium Compounds, Glutaraldehyde, Mold Inhibitors.

What is Autolysis?

Self-digestion or self-destruction of the body by autolytic enzymes.

Zephiran Chloride and Benzalkonium Chloride are:

Some named used for Quats (Quarternary Ammonium Compounds).

Active dyes can:

Stain.

High Index fluids are:

Strong firming fluids.

What are buffers?

Substances that in solution are capable of neutralizing, within limits, both acids and bases and thereby maintaining the original, or a constant pH, of the solution. Embalmer should try to maintain pH as close to neutral as possible

What are restorative fluids?

Supplemental fluids may be SEPARATE fluids from arterial fluids, or ones enhancing arterial fluids by the addition of special chemicals such as humectants and color.

___________ or surface active agents are often used in cavity fluids.

Surfactants.

What are amino acids?

The building blocks of proteins.

What is Putrefaction?

The decomposition of proteins by the action of enzymes of anaerobic bacteria. Usually takes place from inside to outside the body and has a strong odor.

What is toxicity:

The degree to which a poison is toxic.

In reference to embalming and embalming chemistry, what does 'formaldehyde demand' mean?

The total amount of formaldehyde with which protein will combine to be completely preserved. The more decomposition the higher the demand due to more exposed nitrogen. Every break in the chain exposes another nitrogen which requires another HCHO molecule for preservation.

How is a preservative able to kill the microorganisms that cause decomposition?

They are made of protein and they are coagulated by the formaldehyde.

What is the action of preservative chemicals?

To inactivate the chemical groups of proteins and amino acids, Inhibits further decomposition Denatures/coagulates the proteins, Inactivates enzymes, Kills microorganisms, and Destroys odors and eliminates their further production.

Liquid or gel hardening compounds are used for what?

To treat externally for bedsores.

Glycerol:

Trihydroxy alcohol (3 OH groups).

True or False: Putrefaction and decay may happen to the same body simultaneously.

True.

What are phenolic compounds?

Used in Jaundice fluids because the phenol will not cause dark green discoloration like formaldehyde. Used in triple based fluids as the third preservative after formaldehyde and methanol.

What are some examples of vehicles or solvents?

WATER (H20), GLYCERIN (CH2OHCHOHCH2OH), METHANOL 'CH3OH'.

What are the components of pre-injection accessory fluids?

Water conditioning agents + buffers, surfactants, anticoagulants, humectants, and low concentration preservatives (or none at all).

Low Index fluids are:

Weak firming fluids.