Citifluor CFPVOH plus antifadent

Citifluor CFPVOH plus antifadent is an aqueous solution of poly(vinyl alcohol) containing an antifadent and is intended for use where it is desired to have a permanent mountant for a specimen which has been fluorescently labelled. The antifadent helps retard bleaching of fluorescent label with the extent of retardation being very dependent upon the type of label, and the molecular structure of the specimen.
A few drops of the solution should be applied to the specimen followed by a coverslip. If the edges of the coverslip are sealed with nail varnish, the solution acts as an excellent gel mount. If the edges of the coverslip are not sealed water evaporates to leave a clear film which holds the cover slip in place thereby aiding the safe storage of the specimen.
If bleaching of the label remains unacceptably high, try a mixture of Citifluor CFPVOH plus antifadent with Citifluor AF100 mixed in the ratio of 10:1 (v/v). This solution will have a short shelf life (a few days).

The solutions are of medium viscosity, are water-white in appearance and have a pH of ~8.5. They contain a small amount of sodium azide to prevent fungal growth. They may be stored at room temperature. The cap of the bottles should always be replaced after use, to prevent evaporation of water which leads to film formation and ultimately to solidification of the product. Samples stored under these conditions for 2 months have been found to exhibit little apparent deterioration e.g. no gel formation