[Nhcoll-l] Use of denatured ethanol for short term storage of molecular samples

[John E Simmons]

You can preserve things in almost any strong liquor. Historically, rum was
often used and somewhat more famously, Admiral Lord Nelson was preserved in
brandy after he was killed at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. I have used
aguardiente for preserveration several times in Latin America.

Particularly for DNA samples, buy the purest, strongest alcohol you can.
Everclear sold in the US is good. Depending on which state you buy it in,
it may be as high as 190 proof (95%), 151 proof (75.5%), or 120 proof
(670%). As far as I have been able to determine, it does not have any
additives to it (it is distilled from grain). Avoid anything with coloring
in it and gin (which is loaded with botanical ingredients) if possible. If
you can't get Everclear, get a grain-based vodka without any flavoring in
it. If using low proof (below 190) with a low ratio of fluid-to-tissue, I
recommend changing for fresh liquor after 24 hr as it will be diluted by
the water extracted from the tissues.

--John

John E. Simmons
Writer and Museum Consultant
Museologica
*and*
Associate Curator of Collections
Earth and Mineral Science Museum & Art Gallery
Penn State University
*and*
Investigador Asociado, Departamento de Ornitologia
Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima


On Fri, Apr 19, 2019 at 7:51 PM Peter H Wimberger <pwimberger at pugetsound.edu>
wrote:

> I agree with Dean.  Have used absinthe for mussels as well – it was
> expensive, but I was in a pinch, and it was the highest proof around.
> Transferred to 95% EtOH when back in the lab after a few days and DNA
> extraction, PCR and sequencing worked fine.  Absinthe arguably should be
> worse for the DNA than Everclear, but it worked.
>
> PW
>
>
>
> *From:* Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] *On Behalf Of
> *Dean Pentcheff
> *Sent:* Friday, April 19, 2019 11:50 AM
> *To:* Nick Cairns <nacairns at gmail.com>; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> *Subject:* Re: [Nhcoll-l] Use of denatured ethanol for short term storage
> of molecular samples
>
>
>
> We have had excellent results on Sanger sequencing (haven't tried genomic)
> using Everclear (high-proof drinking alcohol). Specimens were preserved in
> Everclear, then transferred to 95% ethanol a few days later. These were
> small freshwater crustaceans (aquatic isopods).
>
>
>
> I'd be more inclined to go towards drinkable alcohol rather than denatured
> alcohol — if it's safe for human consumption, there probably isn't too much
> bioactive chemistry going on (other than the ethanol itself).
>
>
>
> -Dean
> --
> Dean Pentcheff
> pentcheff at gmail.com
>
> dpentche at nhm.org
> https://research.nhm.org/disco
>
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, Apr 18, 2019 at 2:04 PM Nick Cairns <nacairns at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hello everyone,
>
> I'm seeking guidance on reagents. I'm trying to collect chorus frogs from
> across western Canada (whole and toe clips). These samples will be likely
> be extracted using phenol/chloroform then ethanol (EtOH) precipitation to
> tidy them up. Downstream they'll be used for mtDNA (Sanger) and genomic
> (ddRAD) protocols. The issue is, I am currently in rural Saskatchewan and
> only have denatured EtOH (Fisherbrand Histoprep 95%) available to me.  I
> understand that the additives in some denatured EtOH can cause issues
> downstream but has anyone ever used it for short term storage then replaced
> it later with anhydrous to remove the additives? Can these additives be
> reduced from the tissues after the fact?
>
> Any insights would be most welcome.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Nick
>
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