[Nhcoll-l] Transferring specimens from 70% alcohol into water for scientific drawing, and back again....

[Simon Moore]

Hi Esther,

Yes, dunking amphibians from 70% alcohol to water and then back again may result in some osmotic shock.  Have you considered 10% Opresol (in deion. water).  It’s non-flammable, non-toxic (also non-intoxicating) &c but is one of the glycol-based preservatives, so many are a little shy of using it.  Bear in mind that large vertebrates do not survive well in glycol preservatives after 5 years so it shouldn’t be used as a long-term preservative in this context.  Afterwards they may be returned to 70% alc. via the usual dehydration ladder.

With all good wishes, Simon.

Simon Moore MIScT, RSci, FLS, ACR
Conservator of Natural Sciences and Cutlery Historian,
www.natural-history-conservation.com 




On 3 Aug 2015, at 15:46, Esther Dondorp <esther.dondorp at naturalis.nl> wrote:

> Dear All,
> 
> We have a project for which our scientific illustrator needs to draw salamanders/frogs from the spirit collection. The specimens are stored in 70% alcohol (some of them probably have been fixed in formalin before but I am not sure) and during the drawing process they take them out of the jar and submerge them in water. This can take hours. I think this is not good for the specimens and will damage them eventually, also because after that we put them into 70% alcohol again. This will be quite a shock to the tissue I guess. But because they always did it like this, I started doubting myself. What do you think?
> 
> Would there be some other substance to put the specimens in during the drawing process that would be less damaging for the specimens and also not intoxicate the illustrator? Or maybe we could use a lower percentage of alcohol? 
> 
> Many thanks, any comment on this appreciated.
> 
> Esther Dondorp
> 
> Collection manager Reptiles and Amphibians,  Naturalis
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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