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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Hi Esther<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">Unfortunately, formaldehyde polymerizes at low temperatures. This means that the equilibrium necessary for fixation is disrupted by low temperatures. The free
formaldehyde in solution will polymerize, becoming large molecules that will not participate in fixation and this will drive the equilibrium equation in the wrong direction, slowly unfixing your specimens. It is possible that once fully frozen, the reaction
might be slowed, but it would unquestionably still do damage. <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 specimens are prepared only by denaturation in alcohol (no formaldehyde fixation), low temperatures are a great way to foster preservation.<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">Cathy<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Catharine Hawks, PA-AIC, FIIC<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Museum Conservator<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">National Museum of Natural History<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">NHB 394 MRC 106<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Smithsonian Institution
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">PO Box 37012<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Washington, DC 20013-7012<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Office 202.633.0835<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Conservation 202.633.4041<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Cell (work) 202.701.8458<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Cell (pers) 703.200.4370<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"><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"><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""> nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Esther Dondorp<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, September 02, 2014 5:29 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Nhcoll-l] Freezing large specimens on formalin<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Dear Colleagues,<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">We have a large specimen tank (7*2*2 m) with specimens on formalin. For the construction of our new museum building, we have to get rid of these specimens temporarily until the new building with new specimen tanks is ready. Because storage
in alcohol or formalin somewhere outside the museum will be a challenge, we were thinking of maybe storing these large specimens frozen in a cold storage. And when the new building is ready (somewhere in 2017), to thaw them and to change them gradually to
alcohol.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">I know freezing is not good for the specimens, but maybe it is different when they have been sitting in formalin for soo long? <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">I would really appreciate hearing your thoughts on this. <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Best wishes,<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Esther Dondorp<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Collection manager Reptiles and Amphibians<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Naturalis Biodiversity Center<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><img id="_x0000_i1025" src="http://logo.naturalis.nl/logo.png"><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><br>
T +31 (0)71 751 73 38, M +31 (0)6 4870 4107<br>
Darwinweg 2, P.O. Box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands<br>
<a href="mailto:estherdondorp@naturalis.nl" target="_blank"><span style="color:black;text-decoration:none">E estherdondorp@naturalis.nl</span></a>,
<a href="http://www.naturalis.nl" target="_blank"><span style="color:black;text-decoration:none">I www.naturalis.nl</span></a><br>
<br>
Darwinweg 2 - 2333 CR Leiden<br>
E <a href="mailto:Esther.Dondorp@naturalis.nl" target="_blank">Esther.Dondorp@naturalis.nl</a> I , <a href="http://www.naturalis.nl/" target="_blank">www.naturalis.nl</a> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p><o:p> </o:p></p>
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