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On 4/30/2013 12:59 AM, Mark Cannell wrote:

> I don't know if anyone said this, but the crystals could be an inorganic component? The green colour could be from the salt leaching copper from the brass of the objective. I would try hot (not boiling) water plus detergent first before moving up the scale of aggressive solvents .(Speaking from experience having re-glued an objective lens due to overzealous use of acetone by a colleague -a tricky operation down a stereo microscope).

Seconded.  If you don't know what the crystals are (e.g., if there's any 
chance that some dope got buffer or tissue culture medium on the 
objective), water might be the best solvent.  I strongly recommend 
starting with Sparkle/lens-cleaner/water+detergent or plain water before 
going to organic solvents.  I vividly remember attempting to use acetone 
to remove a tar from the inside of a Kimex reaction flask in organic 
chem lab--it just wouldn't come off so I tried scraping with a spatula, 
at which time the flask broke.  The pieces fell into the bottom of the 
sink...and the water there immediately dissolved the tar.

Good luck!

Martin Wessendorf
-- 
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