FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The main preservative component of GreenMBalm™ is a special blended ethanol, with other nontoxic proprietary aids.
As with all anatomical specimens, this is going to depend on many factors, including the pathology of the deceased, the quality of the embalming process, and the care of the donor during use. The best way to answer this is through comparison. We have found through our research trials that the GreenMBalm™ donors last comparably with traditional formaldehyde/phenol preserved donors, and require less maintenance, such as wetting solutions or use of submersion to rehydrate donors.
GSG has not had any fungal or bacterial issues with GreenMBalm™ donors. The present formula contains multiple antimicrobial agents to destroy microorganisms or to prevent their development.
The amount of fluid is determined by the initial weight of the donor. For general application, we will use 2.5 gallons of a 1:1 dilution with water for every 50 pounds of body weight. This translates into using one, 5-gallon container of GreenMBalm™ to preserve 200lbs of body weight.
We refer to standard formaldehyde preservation as “hard-cure” which is rigid fixation of all tissues. Ammonium Nitrate preservation, or “soft cure” is complete pliability of all tissues. GreenMBalm™ is in the middle. The tissues are rigid enough for dissection and study, but you will have the benefits of vessel elasticity, lung inflatability and the like.
Our product was evaluated under the classification criteria for toxicity as defined by 16 C.F.R. §1500 of the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA) under the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Consumer Chemicals and Containers Regulations (CCCR, 2001) and the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA). Our product does not present a chronic toxicity hazard and is nontoxic by oral, dermal and inhalation routes of exposure.
Answer: Absolutely yes! But it’s important to do a proper cost comparison, not just the cost of embalming solutions. Offsets to the cost are benefits realized from:
• Nontoxic embalming through disposal of hazardous waste,
• Reduced shipping and electrical costs,
• No need for expensive HVAC systems to deal with toxic vapors
• Greater longevity of the preserved tissue or body.
It is about the same cost when all the offsets are realized. You must also consider the opportunity cost of nontoxic embalming:
• Far easier to embalm with less time and effort,
• Eliminates days of curing, and
• Embalmers can work longer without having to take breaks from exposure.
In general, faculty and students feel safer and can work through the dissection and learning without the added stress of toxic chemicals.