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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=DE-CH link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Dear Alex,<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 lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I had the same issue here while restoring an old fish collection. This is due bad transfer into Alcohol.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>If the Formalin fixed specimen is not transferred properly (at stages of at least 20%) in to EtOH, this crystal’s will appear (supposed to be called para-formaldehyde). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>The solution is simple: wash the specimen with a fine toothbrush (use clean Alcohol to wash), filter the conservation liquid from the crystals and put the clean specimen back.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Next time be sure to transfer the specimen right (the shrinking will be less extreme on the specimen too)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Hope this helps.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US 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='color:#1F497D'><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>--<br><b>Fabian Neisskenwirth</b><br>Präparation<br>Naturwissenschaftlicher Präparator<br><br>+41 (0)31 350 72 25<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><a href="http://www.nmbe.ch/"><b><span style='color:black;text-decoration:none'>NATURHISTORISCHES MUSEUM BERN</span></b><span style='color:black;text-decoration:none'><br>Bernastrasse 15, CH – 3005 Bern<br>www.nmbe.ch</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><a href="https://www.bgbern.ch/"><span style='color:black;text-decoration:none'>Eine Institution der Burgergemeinde Bern</span></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 lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=DE style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Von:</span></b><span lang=DE style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu] <b>Im Auftrag von </b>Alex Krohn<br><b>Gesendet:</b> Dienstag, 27. November 2018 19:53<br><b>An:</b> nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu<br><b>Betreff:</b> [Nhcoll-l] Precipitate or Mold in Ethanol Stored Specimens<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Hi everyone,<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>I recently found some bizzare white granules in some our ethanol preserved specimens. See the attached photos. The white granules tend to stick to the items in the jar, rather than rest at the bottom of the jar. They do not crush easily (like I imagine precipitates would), but instead squish more like tiny styrofoam bits or pieces (like I imagine mold would).<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Has anyone seen this before? I washed the specimens and jars in fresh 70% EtOH, and then replaced the EtOH in the jar. So far no new granules have appeared. If anyone has any better ideas of what this might be or how to treat it, I'm very interested.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Thank you!<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Alex Krohn<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>---------------------<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Assistant Director<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Kenneth S. Norris Center for Natural History<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>University of California, Santa Cruz<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://norriscenter.ucsc.edu/">https://norriscenter.ucsc.edu/</a><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></div></body></html>