[Nhcoll-l] How to transfer specimens out of an unknown preservative?

[Nicole Seiden]

Hello and happy Friday!
I was recently hired as a collections manager with the initial tasks of digitizing and re-opening the collections. The collections have been “ignored” for some time now and both the specimens and the database have numerous discrepancies that I’ve been addressing. Currently, I’m working with our wet-preserved specimens and want to ask the community for some advice.
A large portion of our specimens (> 4,000) are preserved in an unknown fluid (listed as N/A), and many of which require topping up or rehousing to larger jars. Our most common preservative is ethanol, and it’s very likely that most are in ethanol or isopropyl, though I have had the unpleasant misfortune of opening a few preserved in formalin.
Previous discussions indicated there is not a method to determine the fluid type, but is there a way to transfer the specimens into a known preservative? My initial thought is to rinse (or soak?) them in DI water and then transfer into ethanol. Does this pose any risk to the specimens (i.e., lead to damage)? Are there any precautions I should follow?

Many thanks in advanced,
Nicki


Nicki L. Seiden, M.Sc.

She/Her/Hers

Research Collection Manager

Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

nseiden at fau.edu<mailto:hmcqueen at fau.edu>
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