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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Hi Mandy,</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">adding to Simon's well reasoned reply:
you could check if pH indicator strips would work, if the
specimens have been stored in formalin seawater, the pH should be
rather low (around 4 or so), and you should have a different
colour staining if exposed in alcohol. Even though pH readings in
aqueous solutions of alcohol surely would be inaccurate, you
should still receive a different colour reaction that might to the
job (comparable to fuchsin staining in Schiff's reagent).</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Might be worth trying with samples of
known concentrations.</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">All the best</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Dirk<br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Am 27.05.2020 um 00:45 schrieb Mandy
Reid:<br>
</div>
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<p class="MsoNormal">We are about to embark on a project in our
Malacology collection at the Australian Museum to transfer all
our formalin stored specimens to ethanol. The formalin
specimens are in 5%-10% formalin/seawater solution. Not all
specimen lots are stored in formalin, and the preservative is
unknown for some, particularly historic material.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Our routine test is to determine whether
the storage solution is miscible with water when a few drops
are placed on dish or tray (therefore formalin), whereas an
alcohol solution will ‘repel’ a water droplet. This test is
not always clear and ideally I would like to use something
like test strips, or a stain solution that would give a quick
and clear result. I understand that Schiffs reagent works, but
that is also a carcinogen.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I have an excellent paper that gives a
method of making test strips: Waller, R. (1987). A spot test
to distinguish formalin from alcohol solutions.
<i>Curator, the Museums Journal. </i>240-249.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am wondering whether anyone can recommend
commercially available test strips that would be suitable? (Or
some other method.) The strips that I have investigated online
seem to be used mainly to test contaminated water samples and
are too sensitive for our needs.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thank You!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU"
lang="EN-US">Dr Mandy Reid</span><span
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lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU"
lang="EN-US"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU"
lang="EN-US">Collection Manager, Malacology | Australian
Museum Research Institute<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-fareast-language:EN-AU"
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2010 Australia<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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lang="EN-US"> 61 2 9320 6412 |
<b>M</b> 61 431 829 842 | <b>F</b> 61 2 9320 6253<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
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