What type of solutions allows more water to be removed from tissues with embalming fluids?

Hypertonic solutions play a critical role in the process of embalming by promoting the movement of water out of the tissues. When tissues are treated with hypertonic solutions, which have a higher concentration of solutes compared to the fluids within cells, it creates an osmotic gradient. Water moves from areas of lower solute concentration (inside the cells) to areas of higher solute concentration (the hypertonic solution) in an effort to balance the solute concentrations.

This movement of water is essential in embalming as it assists in the preservation of tissues by reducing moisture content, which can inhibit the growth of bacteria and delay decomposition. In contrast, hypotonic solutions would cause water to flow into cells, potentially leading to cell swelling and rupture, while isotonic solutions would maintain fluid balance without removing water from the tissues. Concentrated solutions might imply a higher concentration of embalming fluid, but wouldn’t specifically indicate their ability to draw out water effectively as hypertonic solutions do. Thus, hypertonic solutions are indeed the most effective in allowing more water to be removed from tissues during the embalming process.