Effectiveness, Adaptation, and Health Risks of Embalming Fluids: Just what is the Solution?

The use of embalming fluids to preserve tissues, organs, and whole cadavers has changed significantly over thousands of years. From mummification in ancient Egypt, Da Vinci's use of wax injection, through to modern day use of formaldehyde and subsequent adaptations. The process of tissue preservation and the technology behind formulation of embalming fluids is important from both an efficacy and health perspective. Formaldehyde remains the current fixative of choice in embalming solutions due to its ability to remove the food source for tissue degrading bacteria by permanently denaturing cellular proteins. This ensures long term survival of the tissue for use in teaching Anatomy, but there are some limitations in using this method; most notably flexibility of the tissue. Specimens become heavy and unwieldy, and do not accurately convey some of the movements, tensions, and strengths of certain tissues in vivo. There are also certain health risks to formaldehyde use, particularly relating to skin contact, inhalation and its potential carcinogenic effects. Alternative embalming solutions currently in use and adaptations being developed in order to improve on this technology will be discussed.