Dye:Mordant Ratios
for Aluminum Hematoxylin Formulations
The chart below compares the ratio of dye to mordant in aluminum hematoxylin formulae. Weights are in grams, ratios are 1:number. Immediately following the chart is the information on which the calculations were based. Slight discrepancies in the figures are due to rounding.
The figures in the three yellow columns give the weight in grams of the dye, the mordant and the ratio between them. The column marked Mordant contains the weight of the aluminum source compound. In most cases this is ammonium or potassium alum. Where another source compound is specified it is noted. The number in the ratio column represents the amount of aluminum source compound available for each gram of dye.
The figures in the pale brown columns give the amount of aluminum, in grams, required to give a 1:1 molecular ratio with the dye, the weight in grams of aluminum actually available, and the multiple by which the aluminum available exceeds the amount required. A number less then 1 in this column indicates there is less than a 1:1 molar ratio.
| Formulation | Dye Grams |
Mordant Grams |
Ratio D:M |
Aluminum Needed |
Al Available |
Ratio N:A |
Mordant Source |
| Anderson 1923a | 2.5 | 20 | 8.0 | 0.22 | 1.19 | 5.3 | Alum |
| Anderson 1923b | 2.5 | 125 | 50.0 | 0.22 | 7.44 | 33.1 | Alum |
| Anderson 1929 | 5.0 | 30 | 6.0 | 0.45 | 1.79 | 4.0 | Alum |
| Apathy | 3.0 | 30 | 10.0 | 0.27 | 1.79 | 6.6 | Alum |
| Baker Hematal-8 | 0.94 | 8 | 8.4 | 0.08 | 1.24 | 14.7 | Al sulphate |
| Baker Hematal-16 | 0.47 | 8 | 16.8 | 0.04 | 1.24 | 29.4 | Al sulphate |
| Bennett | 1.0 | 90 | 90.0 | 0.09 | 5.12 | 57.0 | Alum |
| Bosma | 2.5 | 25 | 10.0 | 0.22 | 1.49 | 6.6 | Alum |
| Bullard | 8.0 | 60 | 2.5 | 0.72 | 3.57 | 4.95 | Alum |
| Carazzi | 1.0 | 50 | 50.0 | 0.09 | 2.84 | 31.6 | Alum |
| Cole 1903 | 6.0 | 6 | 1.0 | 0.54 | 0.36 | 0.7 | Alum |
| Cole 1943 | 1.5 | 100 | 66.7 | 0.13 | 5.95 | 44.2 | Alum |
| Debiden | 5.0 | 100 | 20.0 | 0.45 | 5.69 | 12.7 | Alum |
| de Groot | 2.0 | 22 | 11.0 | 0.18 | 1.31 | 7.3 | Alum |
| Delafield | 6.0 | 90 | 15.0 | 0.54 | 5.36 | 9.9 | Alum |
| Ehrlich | 6.0 | 50 | 8.3 | 0.54 | 2.84 | 5.3 | Alum |
| Friedlander | 6.0 | 6 | 1.0 | 0.54 | 0.34 | 0.6 | Alum |
| Gadsdon | 5.5 | 60 | 10.9 | 0.49 | 3.41 | 6.9 | Alum |
| Gage | 1.0 | 40 | 40.0 | 0.09 | 2.28 | 25.3 | Alum |
| Galigher | 5.0 | 3 | 0.6 | 0.45 | 0.18 | 0.4 | Alum |
| Garvey | 2.5 | 45 | 18.0 | 0.22 | 2.56 | 11.4 | Alum |
| Gill I | 2.0 | 18 | 8.8 | 0.18 | 2.78 | 15.4 | Al sulphate |
| Gill III | 4.0 | 70 | 17.6 | 0.36 | 11.10 | 30.9 | Al sulphate |
| Gill III | 6.0 | 158 | 26.4 | 0.54 | 24.98 | 46.3 | Al sulphate |
| Graham | 2.0 | 25 | 12.5 | 0.18 | 3.94 | 21.9 | Al sulphate |
| Hamilton | 2.0 | 75 | 37.5 | 0.18 | 4.46 | 24.8 | Alum |
| Harris | 5.0 | 100 | 20.0 | 0.45 | 15.77 | 35.1 | Alum |
| Harris & Power | 20.0 | 60 | 3.0 | 1.80 | 3.41 | 1.9 | Alum |
| Haug | 5.5 | 5 | 0.9 | 0.49 | 0.96 | 1.9 | Al acetate |
| Hine | 1.0 | 4 | 3.8 | 0.09 | 0.59 | 6.6 | Al sulphate |
| Horneyold | 8.4 | 4 | 0.5 | 0.75 | 0.25 | 0.3 | Alum |
| Krutsay | 1.0 | 50 | 50.0 | 0.09 | 2.84 | 31.6 | Alum |
| Langeron 1924 | 4.0 | 50 | 12.5 | 0.36 | 2.84 | 7.9 | Alum |
| Langeron 1942 | 1.0 | 50 | 50.0 | 0.09 | 2.84 | 31.6 | Alum |
| Launoy | 10.0 | 5 | 0.5 | 0.90 | 0.79 | 0.9 | Alum |
| Lillie | 5.0 | 50 | 10.0 | 0.45 | 2.98 | 6.6 | Alum |
| Lee | 1.0 | 50 | 50.0 | 0.09 | 2.98 | 33.1 | Alum | Lugol | 1.5 | 60 | 40.0 | 0.13 | 3.41 | 25.3 | Alum |
| McLachlan var I | 2.0 | 17.5 | 8.8 | 0.18 | 2.76 | 15.4 | Al sulphate |
| McLachlan var II | 2.0 | 25 | 12.5 | 0.18 | 1.49 | 8.3 | Alum |
| Martinotti | 2.0 | 15 | 7.5 | 0.18 | 0.89 | 5.0 | Alum |
| Mallory | 2.5 | 50 | 20.0 | 0.22 | 2.84 | 12.7 | Alum |
| Mann | 6.0 | 35 | 5.8 | 0.54 | 1.99 | 3.7 | Alum |
| Masson | 20.0 | 60 | 3.0 | 1.80 | 3.41 | 1.9 | Alum |
| Mayer 1891, 1903 | 1.0 | 50 | 50.0 | 0.09 | 2.98 | 33.1 | Alum |
| Mayer 1901 | 1.0 | 50 | 50.0 | 0.09 | 2.84 | 31.6 | Alum |
| Mayer 1896 | 4.0 | 50 | 12.5 | 0.36 | 2.98 | 8.3 | Alum |
| Mayer mucihematin | 4.0 | 1 | 0.3 | 0.36 | 0.20 | 0.6 | Al chloride |
| Molnar I | 10.0 | 50 | 5.0 | 0.90 | 2.98 | 3.3 | Alum |
| Molnar II | 4.0 | 50 | 12.5 | 0.36 | 2.98 | 8.3 | Alum |
| Papamiltiades | 4.0 | 10 | 2.5 | 0.36 | 1.58 | 4.4 | Al sulphate |
| Pusey | 1.6 | 60 | 37.5 | 0.14 | 3.57 | 24.8 | Alum |
| Rawitz 1895a | 10.0 | 10 | 1.0 | 0.90 | 0.57 | 0.6 | Alum |
| Rawitz 1895b | 2.5 | 15 | 6.0 | 0.22 | 0.89 | 4.0 | Alum |
| Rawitz 1909 | 2.0 | 20 | 10.0 | 0.18 | 1.44 | 8.0 | Al nitrate | Reddy | 6.4 | 60 | 9.4 | 0.58 | 3.57 | 6.2 | Alum |
| Sass var I | 10.0 | 140 | 14.0 | 0.90 | 8.33 | 9.3 | Alum |
| Sass var II | 1.0 | 50 | 50.0 | 0.09 | 2.98 | 33.1 | Alum |
| Schmorl | 5.0 | 100 | 20.0 | 0.45 | 5.95 | 13.2 | Alum |
| Slidders | 1.0 | 100 | 100.0 | 0.09 | 5.69 | 63.3 | Alum |
| Unna | 3.0 | 140 | 46.7 | 0.27 | 8.33 | 30.9 | Alum |
| Watson | 6.0 | 6 | 1.0 | 0.54 | 0.36 | 0.7 | Alum |
| Weigert & Wright | 1.0 | 140 | 140.0 | 0.09 | 8.33 | 92.7 | Alum |
| Item | Hematein | Amm. Alum | Pot. Alum | Al. Sulphate | Al. Acetate | Al. Nitrate | Al. Chloride | Aluminum |
| FW | 300.272 | 453.33 | 474.39 | 342.15 | 140.65 | 375.14 | 133.34 | 26.9815 |
| Al atoms | – | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – |
| Amount Al | 0.0899 | 0.0595 | 0.0569 | 0.1577 | 0.1918 | 0.0719 | 0.2023 | – |
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Last updated Sep 2005.