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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Hi all,<br>
<br>
be carefully testing ketone denatured alcohols with the Anton-Paar
density metre; the density metre is offered in two different
qualities (internal measuring units based on plastic vs. stainless
steel components). For ketone denatured alcohols (e.g. MEK, which
is going to be the mandatory due to a new EU regulation to
harmonise alcohol denaturants stipulated in autumn 2013), choose
the stainless steel version. Make sure to thoroughly rinse the
Anton Paar with distilled or deionised water after each measuring.<br>
<br>
More information on how to test natural history specimens is
offered herre:<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.anton-paar.com/?eID=documentsDownload&document=26579&L=0">http://www.anton-paar.com/?eID=documentsDownload&document=26579&L=0</a>
<br>
<br>
All the best<br>
Dirk<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Am 07.03.2014 02:13, schrieb Kate Pocklington:<br>
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<title>Telling formalin from ethanol</title>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Hey
Megan, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">If
you’re looking for a long-term solution you could invest in
a density meter. We have one here in Singapore and I used
one in my previous job at Oxford University with over 6000
jars - it definitely speeds things up!<br>
It’s useful to have one for identifying between formalin and
alcohol and also for checking the percentage of the
preservative. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">They
are quite pricey but they’re worth it in the long run <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.anton-paar.com/corp-en/products/details/portable-density-meter-dma-35/">http://www.anton-paar.com/corp-en/products/details/portable-density-meter-dma-35/</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Cheers!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Kate<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF
1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu">nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu</a>
[<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu">mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu</a>] <b>On Behalf
Of </b>Morris, Robert (SAM)<br>
<b>Sent:</b> 07 March 2014 07:27<br>
<b>To:</b> Best, Megan; <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu">nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Nhcoll-l] Telling formalin from
ethanol<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-AU">Hi Megan,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-AU">When upgrading our sprit stores some years ago
now, we were required to separate our collections stored in
alcohol from those stored in Formalin for fire and safety
compliance reasons. In short a fire in an alcohol store is a
hazard but a fire in a store with formalin is a toxic
hazard. This was a huge undertaking given the size of our
spirit collections so we had to find a quick and simple
testing procedure.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-AU">A range of techniques was tested including
differing light properties, pH, specific test strips,
reactive paper as well as the use of a hydrometer. These
techniques were dismissed either due to the inefficiency of
the system or the relative costs involved. After a short
time, it was brought to light that a method employing a
pipette with an ampulla containing a float (plastic pinhead)
had been used in the Australian Museum for the same
purpose. It was difficult to replicate this equipment
exactly but we found that a 5 cc syringe with a pinhead
inside served exactly the same function but was both faster
and easier. This method worked with 100% success in
differentiating between the two solutions and was therefore
adopted as the preferred method of sampling for all
collections.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-AU">We could not sample every specimen jar so we
selected the most likely groups that were stored in
formalin, such as soft bodied animals, and fully tested
them. For the rest we sampled statistically to confirm
likely makeup.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-AU">Best of luck<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><br>
</span><span
style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">Robert
Morris</span><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><br>
<b>Head of Collections</b><br>
<b>South Australian Museum</b><br>
North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5000<br>
P: +61 (8) 8207 7455 <br>
</span><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:robert.morris@samuseum.sa.gov.au">robert.morris@samuseum.sa.gov.au</a><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/">www.samuseum.sa.gov.au</a></span><span
style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
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valign="bottom" width="499">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><br>
</span><span
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id="_x0000_i1025"
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style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</span><i><span
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"
lang="EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF
1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu">nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu</a>
[<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu">mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu</a>]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Best, Megan<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, 7 March 2014 12:33 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu">nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Nhcoll-l] Telling formalin from ethanol<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""
lang="EN-CA">Hello all,</span><span lang="EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""
lang="EN-CA">I’ve been benefitting from the conversations on
this listserv for some time now,</span><span lang="EN-CA"> </span><span
style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""
lang="EN-CA">really fascinating and useful stuff.</span><span
lang="EN-CA"> </span><span
style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""
lang="EN-CA"> I manage a research collection, mostly of
marine invertebrates, and I have a question:</span><span
lang="EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""
lang="EN-CA">Is there an easy way to tell if</span><span
lang="EN-CA"> </span><span
style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""
lang="EN-CA">a fixative is formalin or ethanol? </span><span
lang="EN-CA"> </span><span
style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""
lang="EN-CA">Aside from the smell test!</span><span
lang="EN-CA"> </span><span
style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""
lang="EN-CA"> I’m looking to organise</span><span
lang="EN-CA"> </span><span
style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""
lang="EN-CA">hundreds of jars from various benthic surveys,
and we want to switch out anything that’s in formalin to
ethanol. The formalin is buffered so I don’t think a pH
difference would be a strong indicator. Any ideas/advice
would be appreciated.</span><span lang="EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span
style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""
lang="EN-CA">-Megan</span><span lang="EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><b><span
style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:green"
lang="EN-CA">Megan Best</span></b><span
style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""
lang="EN-CA"><br>
<span style="color:green">Invertebrate Taxonomy</span><br>
</span><span
style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:green"
lang="EN-CA">tel: 902.426.2791 email: <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:megan.best@dfo-mpo.gc.ca">megan.best@dfo-mpo.gc.ca</a></span><span
lang="EN-CA"><br>
</span><span
style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:green"
lang="EN-CA">Ocean and Ecosystem Sciences Division |
Division des sciences de l'écosystème et de la mer</span><span
style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""
lang="EN-CA"><br>
<span style="color:green">Department of Fisheries and Oceans
| Ministère des Pêches et Oceans</span></span><span
lang="EN-CA"><br>
</span><span
style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:green"
lang="EN-CA">Government of Canada | Government du Canada</span><span
lang="EN-CA"><br>
</span><span
style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:green"
lang="EN-CA">Bedford Institute of Oceanography | Institut
Océanographique de Bedford</span><span lang="EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
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<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Dirk Neumann
Tel: 089 / 8107-111
Fax: 089 / 8107-300
email: Dirk.Neumann(a)zsm.mwn.de
Postanschrift:
Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns
Zoologische Staatssammlung München
Dirk Neumann, Sektion Ichthyologie / DNA-Labor
Münchhausenstr. 21
81247 München
Besuchen Sie unsere Sammlung:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.zsm.mwn.de/ich/">http://www.zsm.mwn.de/ich/</a>
---------
Dirk Neumann
Tel: +49-89-8107-111
Fax: +49-89-8107-300
email: Dirk.Neumann(a)zsm.mwn.de
postal address:
Bavarian Natural History Collections
The Bavarian State Collection of Zoology
Dirk Neumann, Section Ichthyology / DNA-Lab
Muenchhausenstr. 21
81247 Munich (Germany)
Visit our section at:
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