[Nhcoll-l] question about polyethylene bag "tubing" for specimens

[Bentley, Andrew Charles]

Laura

We have used this poly sheeting to store a number of our large gar heads in our dry collection long term and have not noticed any ill effects.  Depending on the humidity and temperature of the storage space you may get some condensation on the inside of the bags if not packaged in a dry environment.

Not sure that 2ml or 4ml would make much difference in that regard.  4ml may be a little more durable to puncture by spiny or rough objects so may be worth the investment.  We use the same material we use for packing loans so that we only have to order one kind and have a large stock of it.  We use the 4ml.

Andy

Sent from my iPad

On Mar 7, 2024, at 4:14 PM, Abraczinskas, Laura <abraczi1 at msu.edu> wrote:


Dear NHColl list members,
I am seeking advice about sealing specimens within polyethylene bag “tubing” for temporary storage during a collections move.  This is an example of the “tubing”, which is a roll of open-ended polyethylene bags that contents are sealed within by use of a heat sealing machine.  (We have a tabletop impulse sealer).
https://www.uline.com/BL_200/Cleanroom-Poly-Tubing

The Michigan State University Museum is preparing for a temporary move of the dry vertebrate collections before a building-wide HVAC renovation project begins!  Specimens will be temporarily stored off site for about 18 months. Specimens will not be stored in their usual cabinets but packed into boxes or other containers and secured at an art storage facility with climate control.

We are wondering about use of this product for bird and mammal skins or taxidermy mounts, or other dry specimens. The vendor has asked that we bag and seal anything that may contain arsenic before it is housed at their facility.

We are thinking this might be good for pest management too, during the temporary storage.

Does anyone have thoughts about this idea?  If a go, would 4 mil polyethylene be recommended, rather than 2 mil?
If the Uline product is not appropriate, is there another recommended source?

Thanks so much!
Laura

Laura Abraczinskas
Pronouns: She, Her, Hers
Collections Manager, Vertebrate Collections
Michigan State University Museum
409 West Circle Drive
East Lansing, Michigan  48824
USA

(517) 355-1290 (Office)

Michigan State University occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary Lands of the Anishinaabeg–Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi peoples. The University resides on Land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw.

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