A Succinct Characterization and Comparison of Xylene and its Substitutes - Review

Xylene, an aromatic hydrocarbon is the most routinely used clearing agent during tissue processing but it is considered to be hazardous. The ill effects of xylene have been discussed long ago and few studies have been done in the recent past to introduce a safer alternative of xylene without compromising the quality. Therefore, the present review aims to briefly describe the xylene and its noxious effects and other safer compounds which may be an alternative to xylene.