The alkaline silver iodide solution consists of an aqueous base in which potassium iodide, sodium hydroxide and silver nitrate are dissolved. This solution has been developed for special applications in chemistry and microscopy.

In the field of microscopy, the alkaline silver iodide solution is used to stain and highlight certain structures in histological specimens. Its chemical operation is based on the formation of silver iodide by the reaction of silver nitrate with potassium iodide. Sodium hydroxide provides the alkaline conditions required for the reaction.

The solution is particularly suitable for use in darkfield microscopy to visualize fine structures such as fibrils or bacteria. Here, the silver iodide binds to specific components of the structures under investigation, resulting in high-contrast imaging of these in the dark field. The alkaline silver iodide solution is particularly suitable for examining nerve tissue, connective tissue and muscle tissue. It should be noted that the solution has been developed for specific applications and is not suitable for general staining in microscopy.