<html>
<head>
<meta content="text/html; charset=windows-1252"
http-equiv="Content-Type">
</head>
<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Hi Al,<br>
<br>
you might see yourself confronted with the following problems:<br>
<br>
<u>fatty specimens:</u> if you have specimens that are very fatty
or include a lot of oils (e.g. some larger cyprinids or sharks),
you may have problems with fatty deposits that build up on the
specimens and which might be hard to remove afterwards (e.g.
cholesterol, but also thin oil films on sharks). This can leads to
acidic and highly reactive surface layers which may damage
specimens, especially fish with their thin bony structures such as
scales or in the head skeleton. Similar depositions can be
observed in insects if these are stored refrigerated (e.g. in
tissue collections at 4+°C or below) because of fats released from
fat bodies. It is worth to consider to check each single drum
after removing it from the cold storage period and to consider
time and workforce to remove such deposits from specimens
thereafter.<br>
<br>
<u>reactions inside the holding fluid:</u> inside each jar, you
have a complex chemical mixture (preservative, residual fixatives
& body fluids that leach from specimens, denaturing agents,
etc.). When lowering the temperature, you shift the equilibrium
and some of these may start to fall out (this is the
paraformaldehyde needles or "coudiness" you already mentioned).
This might not be that much of a problem in your drums (because of
the given fluid : specimen ratio), but it might be worth to check
if after the cooler storage it is necessary to exchange the
holding fluid. At this point, when you discover "Yes, I need to
exchange it", you change also the stable equilibrium of
preservative(s) and specimens inside your drums. This means that
you may trigger a couple of deteriorating processes again (e.g.
oxidisation because of O2 influx, leaching of body fluids,
decolourisation, etc.). For some specimens this might be less
critical, for others more. In any case you should clean the
respective drums if specimens ought to go back in the same
containers.<br>
<br>
<u>reactions of the holding containers:</u> should be that
critical with your plastic drums; in fact lower temperatures and
thus shrinkage of the lids should increase tightness of the drums
and decrease evaporation losses. However, I would avoid such
experiments with glass containers, especially historic ones (such
as old battery or ground stopper jars), as this could have
potential to break the necks of such jars or the jar itself
(because of the tension that builds up inside the glass melt on
the one, and - for stopper jars - in the neck of the jars on the
other). Might be worth to check the gaskets (shrinkage) after you
have removed the drums from the cold storage again. Could happen
that they do not expand to the original size again, so evaporation
from these drums might increase (some sort of monitoring is surely
advisable). <br>
<br>
<u>Condensation issues:</u> when bringing your specimens in the
cooler storage, you may have issues with condensation of water
inside the container (depending on how often the material /
storage area is accessed from the outside during this time. It
shouldn't be that much of an issue for specimens inside the drum,
but maybe for any labels / inscriptions on the outside of your
drums (if this is the case).<br>
<br>
Hope this gives you some guidance.<br>
<br>
Have a nice weekend & all the best for the move of your fish
collection!<br>
Dirk<br>
<br>
<br>
Am 04.11.2016 um 04:15 schrieb <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:Alastair.Graham@csiro.au">Alastair.Graham@csiro.au</a>:<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:b757039168d44c9fa961ff21d792a388@exch3-mel.nexus.csiro.au"
type="cite">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Exchange Server">
<!-- converted from rtf -->
<style><!-- .EmailQuote { margin-left: 1pt; padding-left: 4pt; border-left: #800000 2px solid; } --></style>
<font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size:10pt;">
<div>Hello all</div>
<div><font face="Calibri" size="2"><span
style="font-size:11pt;"> </span></font></div>
<div>Does anyone have any experience with storing preserved
specimens at temperatures below 15°C (59°F) for an extended
period? Or, what is the lowest temperature that preserved
specimens can be safely stored?</div>
<div><font face="Calibri" size="2"><span
style="font-size:11pt;"> </span></font></div>
<div>A portion of our fish collection needs to be re-located
for 4-6 months (perhaps even longer) during building works.
Our specimens were originally fixed in 10% formalin and have
been transferred to 70% ethanol for long-term storage. The
specimens are
stored in 30 litre plastic drums (high density
polyethylene), which have rubber gaskets. I will be
re-locating about 150 drums. I had originally suggested
hiring a hazardous materials shipping container with
temperature control (15-22°C or 59-72°F). However,
such a container is proving difficult to source. Now, a
refrigerated shipping container has been suggested, although
I do not know the temperature range it can be set at.</div>
<div><font face="Calibri" size="2"><span
style="font-size:11pt;"> </span></font></div>
<div>John Simmons in his <i>Fluid Preservation </i><i>–</i><i>
A </i><i>Comprehensive Reference</i> (2014) states on
page 122 that the preferred storage environment for fluid
collections is 18-21°C (65-70°F)”. Also on pages 103-104,
John refers to a test where
he placed jars of specimens in a refrigerator, demonstrating
that the 70% ethanol turned cloudy below about 60°F (16°C).
“The cloudiness may have been caused by the formation of
paraformaldehyde from the trace amounts of formaldehyde in
the preservative, the
congealing of lipids extracted by the alcohol, or other
causes, but in any case, it was an unacceptable change in
the preservative.”</div>
<div><font face="Calibri" size="2"><span
style="font-size:11pt;"> </span></font></div>
<div>It has also been suggested that storing the specimens
below 15°C and then moving them for examination to a lab at
room temperature (22°C) could be harmful to the specimens.
Additionally, the humidity of the shipping container may
promote mould growth
on the drums.</div>
<div><font face="Calibri" size="2"><span
style="font-size:11pt;"> </span></font></div>
<div>Perhaps I have (or actually John in his book has)
answered my question about what is the lowest temperature
that specimens can be safely stored. However, I would be
interested to hear your views on storing specimens for an
extended period below 15°C.</div>
<div><font face="Calibri" size="2"><span
style="font-size:11pt;"> </span></font></div>
<div>Cheers</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Al</div>
<div><font face="Calibri" size="2"><span
style="font-size:11pt;"> </span></font></div>
<div><font color="#0099CC" size="1"><span
style="font-size:8pt;"><b>Alastair (Al) Graham<br>
</b><font color="black">Fish Collection Manager<br>
Australian National Fish Collection </font></span></font></div>
<div><font size="1"><span style="font-size:8pt;">National
Research Collections Australia<br>
CSIRO National Facilities and Collections</span></font></div>
<div><font face="Calibri" size="2"><span
style="font-size:11pt;"> </span></font></div>
<div><font size="1"><span style="font-size:8pt;">P: +61 3 6232
5351<font face="Calibri" color="#BED600"><b> </b></font><font
color="#BED600"><b>| </b></font>M: +61 (0) 419 756
411 <font color="#BED600"><b>|</b></font><font
face="Calibri"> </font>F: +61 3 6232
5000</span></font></div>
<div><font face="Calibri" size="2"><span
style="font-size:11pt;"><a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:alastair.graham@csiro.au"><font
face="Arial" color="blue" size="1"><span
style="font-size:8pt;"><u>alastair.graham@csiro.au</u></span></font></a><font
size="1"><span style="font-size:8pt;"> </span></font><font
face="Arial" color="#BED600" size="1"><span
style="font-size:8pt;"><b>|</b></span></font><font
size="1"><span style="font-size:8pt;"> </span></font><a moz-do-not-send="true" href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.csiro.au_&d=CwMFAw&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=1OfXHnIm39DdfivH4KP1iDyP9Ldasd0XevMmnNfu2pk&s=zeyqFgmWhK6NUEszmFMiIN7Gd4ilpiWrKPxew5R71sc&e="><font
face="Arial" color="blue" size="1"><span
style="font-size:8pt;"><u>www.csiro.au</u></span></font></a><font
color="blue" size="1"><span style="font-size:8pt;"> </span></font><font
face="Arial" color="blue" size="1"><span
style="font-size:8pt;">
<br>
</span></font><font face="Arial" size="1"><span
style="font-size:8pt;">Address: Castray Esplanade,
Hobart Tas 7000, Australia</span></font></span></font></div>
<div><font size="1"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Post: GPO Box
1538, Hobart Tas 7001, Australia</span></font></div>
<div><font face="Calibri" size="2"><span
style="font-size:11pt;"> </span></font></div>
<div><font face="Calibri" size="2"><span
style="font-size:11pt;"> </span></font></div>
<div><font face="Calibri" size="2"><span
style="font-size:11pt;"> </span></font></div>
<div><font face="Calibri" size="2"><span
style="font-size:11pt;"> </span></font></div>
</span></font>
<br>
<fieldset class="mimeAttachmentHeader"></fieldset>
<br>
<pre wrap="">_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:Nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu">Nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l">http://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l</a>
_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.spnhc.org&d=CwMD-g&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=MfzVXASmx4oCKfQndq_BmTSpURMGgGaAyVK1R9tGPow&s=otdtapCS-OglEyEWk3YZ07Qpz9dhH7jtwzHZojV3di8&e=">http://www.spnhc.org</a> for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
</pre>
</blockquote>
<br>
<p><br>
</p>
<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="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.zsm.mwn.de_ich_&d=CwMD-g&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=MfzVXASmx4oCKfQndq_BmTSpURMGgGaAyVK1R9tGPow&s=J0hRFEI-sML9WVmfb14g-3Egd1rkqNG_jmNhs7wlveo&e=">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:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.zsm.mwn.de_ich_&d=CwMD-g&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=MfzVXASmx4oCKfQndq_BmTSpURMGgGaAyVK1R9tGPow&s=J0hRFEI-sML9WVmfb14g-3Egd1rkqNG_jmNhs7wlveo&e=">http://www.zsm.mwn.de/ich/</a>
</pre>
</body>
</html>