[Nhcoll-l] old glass containers
Dirk Neumann
dirk.neumann at zsm.mwn.de
Sat Mar 21 07:06:24 EDT 2015
Dear Nancy,
soda-lime glass containers of poor quality suffer from microcracking,
starting on microscopic level, which than unite to larger (visible but
small) fissures and end in larger cracks. The glass looks, like it
exploded from inside the glass itself, and may crack from one day to the
next even though nobody did touch the container on its shelve. This kind
of glass corrosion mediated and accelerated if the RH fluctuates a lot,
as John already commented.
If I interpreted your pictures correctly, the lids are glued onto neck
with Silicone, which adds to the problem. In the long run, you will have
to replace the specimen jars.
Once the jars are open, test for formaldehyde / formalin (there have
been various suggestions using different test kits) or compare the
density of the fluid (is it flammable, are there mixing anomalies if >
75% alcohols is added - this has to agree with your internal health &
safety policies though). If depicted sharks are in formalin, I would
suggested transfer in an alcohol ladder (20-40-60-75) into alcohol, as
formalin tends to lower the pH (~ pH 4 or lower), which irreversibly
damages dermal denticles and teeth (both valuable morphologic
characteristic features in sharks).
All the best
Dirk
Am 20.03.2015 um 20:59 schrieb John E Simmons:
> Paul's advice is very good, but handle even the small ones (and
> indeed, all old glassware) very carefully. The degree of thinning of
> soda-lime glass depends on the amount alkali components that are
> extracted from the glass. High relative humidity in storage will
> accelerate thinning, as will repeated wetting and drying of the
> glassware; the solvent the glassware contains is also a factor.
>
> --John
>
> John E. Simmons
> Museologica
> 128 E. Burnside Street
> Bellefonte, Pennsylvania 16823-2010
> simmons.johne at gmail.com <mailto:simmons.johne at gmail.com>
> 303-681-5708
> www.museologica.com
> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.museologica.com&d=AwMFaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=1AA3ZCfP6Cv4kq_XGWgKeXZG33CAmvlM0Mjza4ny3jc&s=VVOB18b4LWPgQwPmWZ_qNBylu20D2yUa6eSeDdCPUak&e=>
> and
> Adjunct Curator of Collections
> Earth and Mineral Science Museum & Art Gallery
> Penn State University
> University Park, Pennsylvania
> and
> Instructor, Museum Studies
> School of Library and Information Science
> Kent State University
> and
> Lecturer in Art
> Juniata College
> Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
>
> On Fri, Mar 20, 2015 at 3:44 PM, Callomon,Paul <prc44 at drexel.edu
> <mailto:prc44 at drexel.edu>> wrote:
>
> Those are Whittall Tatum jars, made here in Philadelphia and at
> least 80 years old. The bigger the size, the more fragile they
> are; I have a ten-gallon one that we handle very carefully indeed.
>
> The smaller ones are pretty tough, though, and I’ve used the
> half-gallon size for years. They are made of soda glass and will
> crizzle in time, but are thick enough that it won’t weaken them
> significantly.
>
> You can cut new gaskets from neoprene sheet, but we make do with
> archival plastic foam sheet with a thin film of vacuum grease on
> both sides. You hand-tighten the clamp until you see the seal form
> all round the lid, then check up on them periodically.
>
> Finally, NEVER carry them by the clamp bow; always support them
> underneath.
>
> *Paul Callomon*
> /Collection Manager, Malacology, Invertebrate Paleontology and
> General Invertebrates/
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> *Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia***
>
> 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia PA 19103-1195, USA
> /callomon at ansp.org <mailto:callomon at ansp.org> Tel 215-405-5096
> <tel:215-405-5096> - Fax 215-299-1170 <tel:215-299-1170>/
>
> *From:*nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu
> <mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu>
> [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu
> <mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu>] *On Behalf Of *Nancy
> Glover McCartney
> *Sent:* Friday, March 20, 2015 2:55 PM
> *To:* nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu <mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
> *Subject:* [Nhcoll-l] old glass containers
>
> I have several old glass containers housing fish, herps, inverts,
> etc. that are getting very low on fluid. I expect the containers
> are pretty brittle, as a gar with a giant lobster broke with
> almost no provocation and spewed formalin all over: not a process
> I want to repeat. I don't have any idea what these specimens are
> stored in.
>
> I have attached a few pix of fish and the screw down tops that
> appear to have parafilm or an ancient rubber around the lid; some
> of the smaller containers have what may be beeswax holding in a
> stopper.
>
> Should I attempt to open and replace fluid? If so, how? What
> precautions?
>
> An earlier query 10 years or so ago said just to leave them alone,
> but maybe there is different advice now.
>
> I'd appreciate some doable suggestion.
>
> My thanks in advance, as always.
>
> Nancy Glover McCartney, PhD
> Curator of Zoology
> UA Collections Facility
> 120 BIOMASS
> University of Arkansas
> 2435 Hatch
> Fayetteville AR 72701
>
> Phone: 479-575-4370 <tel:479-575-4370>
> Fax: 479-575-7464 <tel:479-575-7464>
>
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--
Dirk Neumann
Tel: 089 / 8107-111
Fax: 089 / 8107-300
email: Dirk.Neumann(a)zsm.mwn.de
Postanschrift:
Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns
Zoologische Staatssammlung München
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Dirk Neumann
Tel: +49-89-8107-111
Fax: +49-89-8107-300
email: Dirk.Neumann(a)zsm.mwn.de
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