[Nhcoll-l] Museum Study Skins and Mitigating Formalin

[Dirk Neumann]

Hi Duke,

the "powdered" formalin likely is paraformaldehyde, i.e. more or less fine, thermostable paraformaldehyde crystals, which dissolve not readily in water and have a melting point above 120 °C. Paraformaldehyde is typically used to prepare formalin for field work and to avoid carrying the heavy water into the field. Preparation of formalin using paraformaldehyde requires prolonged "cooking", i.e. heated water at around 50-60 °C. If you want to treat your skeleton material, similar conditions like during maceration sould in principle be doable, but buffering should definitely be considered as depolymerised paraformaldehyde is as acidic as formalin and the low pH (pH 4 or less) might decalcify (and damage delicate) bones.

Besides vacuum cleaning as Andy suggested, you probably need to consider more time in well aerated rooms to allow full sublimation of any paraformaldehyde that was not removed from the surface. Elevated room temperatures above 30°C could be useful to increase the vapour pressure, but may cause damage e.g. to mounted specimens. It is probably advisable to keep the relative humidity as low as possible, but again, this may cause damage to mounted specimens and skins.

Tricky situation - never heard that paraformaldehyde was used as fumigant. Interesting - thanks a lot for posting this interesting question!

Dirk


Am 29.08.2023 um 15:43 schrieb Bentley, Andrew Charles:
Duke

You may consider getting a HEPA vacuum that can be used to vacuum skins, skeletal material and cases to get rid of powdered formalin.  PPE during this procedure is a must with respirator, gloves, lab coat etc. to protect those working on the material.

We use Nilfisk HEPA vacuum cleaners here at the Biodiversity Institute for all our collection needs - https://www.globalindustrial.com/p/nilfisk-gm-80-hepa-vacuum that come with multiple attachments and a 0.3 micron filtration system.

Andy
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From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu><mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> On Behalf Of Duke Rogers
Sent: Monday, August 28, 2023 3:56 PM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Museum Study Skins and Mitigating Formalin

Hi all,

I have a question about how to mitigate formalin on museum study skins (bird and mammal specimens).  As background, administrators at Brigham Young University Hawaii decided to close the small natural history museum associated with their university and as a result, vertebrate research specimens have been dispersed to other institutions.  BYU Provo received ~1,700 mammal specimens including  ~500 skins and 1,200 skull/skeleton only preparations as well as ~4,000 bird specimens.  Unfortunately, the “fumigant” used in the Steel Fixture cases was powdered formalin.  Apparently formalin powder was used this way for decades.  The powder was removed from the museum cases prior to shipment from Hawaii to Utah.  However, the wooden trays, specimen boxes and of course, the specimens themselves are permeated with the stuff.  I can replace the wooden drawers with metal ones and put the skulls/skeletons in new containers.  I am also considering soaking all the skeletal material in water to get rid of residual formalin.  I can also cleanse the inside of the metal cases.  However, I am not sure how to deal with the museum study skins themselves.  Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Duke
_______________________
Duke S. Rogers
Emeritus Professor of Biology
Emeritus Curator of Mammals




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Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des öffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Grüter (Kaufm. Geschäftsführer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst
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