At least four distinct blue cationic phthalocyanine dyes sold as "alcian blue" raises the question: what is alcian blue?

S Ali, R W Dapson, R W Horobin, J A Kiernan, A Kazlauciunas

Biotechnic & histochemistry : official publication of the Biological Stain Commission 2022 Jan

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We investigated physicochemical characteristics of dye lots sold as "alcian blue" using the Biological Stain Commission (BSC) precipitation test, differential scanning calorimetry, high performance liquid chromatography, thin layer chromatography and UV/visible spectroscopy. Four blue phthalocyanine dyes were detected in 11 commercial dye lots. These four included the original ingrain blue 1 CI 74000 dye and the dye sold with the name "alcian blue pyridine variant"; we discuss also the possible identity of the additional two dyes. A proposed extension to the BSC analytic scheme is presented that could distinguish three categories of commercial alcian blue dyes from each other and from the original alcian blue 8G.

Citation

S Ali, R W Dapson, R W Horobin, J A Kiernan, A Kazlauciunas. At least four distinct blue cationic phthalocyanine dyes sold as "alcian blue" raises the question: what is alcian blue? Biotechnic & histochemistry : official publication of the Biological Stain Commission. 2022 Jan;97(1):11-20