How can I dissolve it???? - (Oct/30/2009 )
Hello everyone!
I treat my cells (A549) with the organic pollutant benzopyrene and from the very first time i had the following problem. I use DMSO in order to dissolve BP powder and make the stock solution (100mM). But after a week or less, BP starts to precipitate in the bottom of the vial and its impossible to dissolve it again using vortex! I tried to warm it while vortexing or use ethanol instead of DMSO, but none of them worked. It's a problem that bothers me a whole year...
Does anyone of you use this compound or have any idea about how I could dissolve it?
Thank you in advance for providing any answers!!
Olga
Have you done a literature search to find out how other people dissolved it? The Merck index tells me that it is soluble in benzene, toluene and xylene, sparingly soluble in ethanol and methanol and not soluble in water. Have you tried DMF? It works with most things that aren't soluble in DMSO. The Sigma-Aldrich website suggests (they sell it as solutions in) acetone, cyclohexane, methylene chloride and Dimethylformamide (DMF) will all work - three of which are miscible with water!
You probably won't be able to re-dissolve the precipitate, it won't be benzo-pyrene!