[NHCOLL-L:602] Dessicated Alcohol Lots

[Charlene Fricker]

Being relatively new to the realm of collection management, I am in need of some suggestions and advice for the best way to handle the following problem.

As I bravely face the seemingly insurmountable task of catching up on accumulations of miscellaneous gifts, donations, etc.,  I have run across some lots of donated molluscan material which at one time were stored in alcohol but have at some time in the past desiccated.  The main question is this:  once the preservational fluid has completely evaporated and the specimens are completely dried out, is it best to "re-hydrate" them, or to simply allow them to remain desiccated and handle accordingly?  If "rehydration" is the route to go, how would this best be accomplished, i.e. what concentration of alcohol (EtOH in this case) to use?  Normally in the collection, alc preserved specimens are kept at 80% EtOH.  If I was to "rehydrate" the above mentioned specimens, would it be safe enough to immerse them directly into 80%?

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

   Charlene Fricker

*********************************************
Charlene Fricker
Collection Manager
Department of Malacology
Academy of Natural Sciences
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA  19103-1195
http://www.acnatsci.org
Email:  fricker at acnatsci.org
Tel:  215-299-1136
Fax: 215-299-1170
*********************************************