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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Hi Katja<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">Yes, traditionally fish specimens are fixed in 3.4% formalin and then transferred to 70% ethanol for long term preservation. When topping off is necessary we
usually use two criteria to determine what to top off with. If the jar is under half full we usually discard all old preservative and fill with fresh 70%. If the jar is more than 50% full then we simply top off with fresh 70% ethanol. If alcohol is particularly
oily or discolored we will also completely change fluid – especially in a teaching collection where specimens need to be viewed more often. Fort research specimens we will not change fluid unless absolutely necessary to avoid further leaching of oils, lipids
and color out of the specimens.<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">The important factor to consider when mixing your 70% ethanol is to ensure that you keep the acidity down by mixing with deionized water or tap water (if your
tap water is alkaline enough). A simple alkalinity test will determine whether tap water is sufficient. Thorough mixing of the alcohol and water is also necessary to ensure an even mixture. We use an air bubbler for about an hour to ensure thorough mixing
of the fluid before use.<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">Hope that helps. Happy to answer any further more specific questions.<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">Andy<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"> A : A : A :<br>
}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<)))_°><br>
V V V<br>
Andy Bentley<br>
Ichthyology Collection Manager<br>
University of Kansas<br>
Biodiversity Institute<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Dyche Hall<br>
<a href="x-apple-data-detectors://9"><span style="color:#0563C1">1345 Jayhawk Boulevard</span></a><br>
<a href="x-apple-data-detectors://9"><span style="color:#0563C1">Lawrence, KS, 66045-7561</span></a><br>
<a href="x-apple-data-detectors://9"><span style="color:#0563C1">USA</span></a><br>
<br>
Tel: <a href="tel:%28785%29%20864-3863" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0563C1">(785) 864-3863</span></a><br>
Fax: <a href="tel:%28785%29%20864-5335" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0563C1">(785) 864-5335</span></a> <br>
Email: <a href="mailto:abentley@ku.edu" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0563C1">abentley@ku.edu</span></a> </span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><a href="http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu/" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0563C1">http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu</span></a></span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"> A : A : A :<br>
}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<)))_°><br>
V V V<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Simon Moore<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Sunday, September 30, 2018 4:18 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> Katja Seltmann <seltmann@ccber.ucsb.edu><br>
<b>Cc:</b> nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Nhcoll-l] Preservation of a fish collection<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hi Katja,<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">The specimens would likely have been fixed (initial stage of preservation, from fresh material) in formaldehyde solution and then preserved in alcohol. <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Auto-dilution of alcohol is well-known but trying to maintain the correct concentration of alcohol is much more difficult. There are instruments that can measure the precise concentration but these are quite expensive (Mettler Toledo and
the Anton Paar DMA 135n).<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Since most museums have large collection and few staff to maintain them, they tend to have their own protocols to short-cut this otherwise lengthy process. Most just top up the jars using a more concentrated level of alcohol (80%) and
hoping that the overall concentration of each jar’s alcohol will end up around the 60-70% mark.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">John Simmons, Ollie Crimmen and Andy Bentley will probably write something as they have had more experience in fish collections and dealing with fish oil contaminants as well.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black">With all good wishes, Simon.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black">Simon Moore MIScT, RSci, FLS, ACR<br>
Conservator of Natural Sciences and Cutlery Historian, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
<img border="0" width="238" height="320" style="width:2.4791in;height:3.3333in" id="_x0030_D1A1F51-3EED-4B74-8FB5-D3036232DCBE" src="cid:image001.png@01D4595E.71D13180"><br style="font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: auto;text-align:start;widows: auto;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;word-spacing:0px">
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<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black"><a href="http://www.natural-history-conservation.com">www.natural-history-conservation.com</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">On 29 Sep 2018, at 15:33, Katja Seltmann <<a href="mailto:seltmann@ccber.ucsb.edu">seltmann@ccber.ucsb.edu</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">We have just started caring for a small teaching collection of fish. The jars seem to be filled with alcohol, but I am assuming that the original specimens were preserved with formaldehyde. Many of the specimens need the fluid in the jars
topped off, but I do not know what concentration of ethanol we should be using.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Does anyone have a protocol for their collection they would be willing to share?<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you,<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Katja<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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--<br>
Katja Seltmann, PhD<br>
Katherine Esau Director, Cheadle Center for Biodiversity & Ecological Restoration<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB)<br>
Harder South, Rm 1011<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Santa Barbara, CA 93106<br>
cell: (859) 537-9309<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.5pt"><a href="http://codex.begoniasociety.org/" target="_blank">http://codex.begoniasociety.org</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">_______________________________________________<br>
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_______________________________________________<br>
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of<br>
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose<br>
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of<br>
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to<br>
society. See <a href="http://www.spnhc.org">http://www.spnhc.org</a> for membership information.<br>
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.<o:p></o:p></p>
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