[NHCOLL-L:4917] Re: Isopropanol as a preservative

[malcolm McCallum]

Yes, Isopropanol is not used as a fixative.
I suspect they would have used formalin, but I do not know that.

:)

On Sun, Aug 1, 2010 at 1:04 PM, Richard Rosenblatt <rrosenblatt at ucsd.edu>wrote:

>  Malcolm: Unlike ethanol, isopropanol is not a fixative. The fishes must
> have been fixed in formalin before being placed in iso.
>
>
>
> The Arkansas State University Museum of Zoology has maintained fishes in
> isopropanol for decades.
>
> The hereptology specimens are kept in ethanol (after 24-48 hr fixing in
> formalin) for various reasons, but the fishes are housed in isopropanol
>
> and the preservation is pretty darn good.  I do not know if the fishes are
> formalin fixed first.
>
>
> Malcolm
>
> On Sat, Jul 31, 2010 at 5:12 PM, Richard Rosenblatt <rrosenblatt at ucsd.edu>
> wrote:
>
> Amplifying HJ walkers brief comment, the Scripps Institution of
> Oceanography Marine Vertebrate Collection and  UCLA fish collections
> converted  to 50% Isopropanol in 1952. I came from UCLA and became curator
> in 1958 and continued the policy. The SIO collection now contains more than
> two million specimens, many of them delicate deep-sea fishes. We soon
> learned of the relative immiscibility of iso in water and the necessity to
> stir and bring preservative up to strength after washing out formalin. One
> advantage not often mentioned about iso is that when working with specimens
> it is not necessary to keep dipping them in water or spraying nearly as
> often as with alcohol specimens. When working with alcohol specimens you can
> see the scales curling and the fin-rays rapidly drying out under the
> microscope. I attribute this to the 50% water content as well as the lower
> vapor pressure of iso.
> Without belaboring the point, or entering controversies over possible
> chemical reactions, I can say that we have maintained our collection for
> more than 50 years in 50% isopropanol  with excellent results.
>
>
>
>
> --
> Malcolm L. McCallum
> Managing Editor,
> Herpetological Conservation and Biology
>
> 1880's: "There's lots of good fish in the sea"  W.S. Gilbert
> 1990's:  Many fish stocks depleted due to overfishing, habitat loss,
>             and pollution.
> 2000:  Marine reserves, ecosystem restoration, and pollution reduction
>           MAY help restore populations.
> 2022: Soylent Green is People!
>
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>


-- 
Malcolm L. McCallum
Managing Editor,
Herpetological Conservation and Biology

1880's: "There's lots of good fish in the sea"  W.S. Gilbert
1990's:  Many fish stocks depleted due to overfishing, habitat loss,
            and pollution.
2000:  Marine reserves, ecosystem restoration, and pollution reduction
          MAY help restore populations.
2022: Soylent Green is People!

Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any
attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may
contain confidential and privileged information.  Any unauthorized
review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited.  If you are not
the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and
destroy all copies of the original message.
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