Sodium disulfite, also known as sodium metabisulfite, is a compound used in many chemical and industrial processes. In a 1% solution, it is often used in histology, especially in staining techniques.

In this context, sodium disulfite often acts as an antioxidant or reducing agent, helping to stabilize dyes and prevent their oxidation. This increases the durability and efficacy of the dyes and improves the quality of the stain.

In addition, sodium disulfite serves as a bleaching agent in histology. By removing excess dye from tissue samples, a clearer and more precise representation of the stained tissue structures is made possible.

A special field of application of sodium disulfite in histology is the silver plating technique. Here, sodium disulfite serves as a reducing agent that reduces silver ions to metallic silver. The metallic silver then binds to specific structures in the tissue sample, making them visible under the microscope.

In summary, sodium disulfite in a 1% solution is a versatile tool in histology, used both as an antioxidant and reducing agent in staining processes and as a bleaching agent for excess dyes.