[NHCOLL-L:4421] Re: Fungus infected botanical specimens, solution?

[Moore, Simon]

Dear Alina,

I have frequently treated specimens with mould problems - both active and dried out, on all sorts of taxonomic groups of biological specimens.  Dirk has suggested irradiation which is an effective way of gradually killing off the mould during mitosis.  Brushing with alcohol will also neutralise and will remove fungal growth effectively but depending on the affected tissue will need to be done quite carefully as the underlying tissue will have been semi-digested by fungal enzymes.

The freezing treatment should neutralise the mould anyway through cell-wall rupture by ice crystal growth.


With all good wishes, 
Simon Moore, MIScT, FLS, ACR,
Senior Conservator of Natural Sciences. 
Hampshire County Council,
Department of Culture, Communities and Rural Affairs,
Museums & Archives Service,
Chilcomb House, Chilcomb Lane,
Winchester SO23 8RD. UK.
Internal  8 327 6737
01962 826737
http://www.hants.gov.uk/museum/biology 



-----Original Message-----
From: owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu [mailto:owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Dirk Neumann
Sent: 03 August 2009 07:30
To: freirefierro at ansp.org
Cc: nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu
Subject: [NHCOLL-L:4420] Re: Fungus infected botanical specimens, solution?

Dear Alina,

here in Munich was a similar problem with a moulded anatomical reference collection; the collection was irradiated with gamma rays to stop and destroy the fungi. Gamma irradiation of vegetables e.g. is a standard treatment to prevent any potential pests from food imports. The strength of the gamma radiation is about the same as produced by a diagnostic X-ray machine, and significantly lower energy than the therapeutic treatment X-rays produced by linac machines in cancer.

Gamma rays are absorbed from animal and vegetable tissues; cells keep alive but have high radiation damages, which cause cells death during the the next cell division cycle, when the protein synthesis fails and the DNA molecule can't be repaired. Same applies to our mushroom friends ...

Hope this helps

Dirk


Alina Freire-Fierro schrieb:
> Dear all,
>
> We have received some specimens that are infected with fungi. The 
> material is in the freezer right now (so we can kill any incoming insects), and after the two weeks I was thinking in placing the specimens inside our plant drier.
>
> Would you recommend this treatment?
>
> If you have had a similar situation, what was your solution? 
>
> I will appreciate any replies/suggestions.
>
> Many thanks and best wishes,
>
> Alina.
>
>
>
>   


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