[Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin

Wed May 27 06:16:25 EDT 2020

Hi Mandy,

adding to Simon's well reasoned reply: you could check if pH indicator 
strips would work, if the specimens have been stored in formalin 
seawater, the pH should be rather low (around 4 or so), and you should 
have a different colour staining if exposed in alcohol. Even though pH 
readings in aqueous solutions of alcohol surely would be inaccurate, you 
should still receive a different colour reaction that might to the job 
(comparable to fuchsin staining in Schiff's reagent).

Might be worth trying with samples of known concentrations.

All the best
Dirk

Am 27.05.2020 um 00:45 schrieb Mandy Reid:
>
> We are about to embark on a project in our Malacology collection at 
> the Australian Museum to transfer all our formalin stored specimens to 
> ethanol. The formalin specimens are in 5%-10% formalin/seawater 
> solution. Not all specimen lots are stored in formalin, and the 
> preservative is unknown for some, particularly historic material.
>
> Our routine test is to determine whether the storage solution is 
> miscible with water when a few drops are placed on dish or tray 
> (therefore formalin), whereas an alcohol solution will ‘repel’ a water 
> droplet. This test is not always clear and ideally I would like to use 
> something like test strips, or a stain solution that would give a 
> quick and clear result. I understand that Schiffs reagent works, but 
> that is also a carcinogen.
>
> I have an excellent paper that gives a method of making test strips: 
> Waller, R. (1987). A spot test to distinguish formalin from alcohol 
> solutions. /Curator, the Museums Journal. /240-249.
>
> I am wondering whether anyone can recommend commercially available 
> test strips that would be suitable? (Or some other method.) The strips 
> that I have investigated online seem to be used mainly to test 
> contaminated water samples and are too sensitive for our needs.
>
> Thank You!
>
> Dr Mandy Reid
>
> Collection Manager, Malacology | Australian Museum Research Institute
>
> Australian Museum  1 William Street Sydney NSW 2010 Australia
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