<div dir="ltr"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" style="" color="#000000">Hi All</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000">The paper test suggested
by Dries and the NIWA test with marker, which bleeds in alcohol, are great
because they are quick and simple – but they do not give quantitative results
of how much formalin/formaldehyde is in the fluid preservative, nor the
concentration of the alcohol solution. For your purposes Mandy, this may not be
necessary, but I thought I would share some methods for quantitatively
determining formalin/formaldehyde concentration in case anyone else on the
list-serv is also looking for methods. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000">For testing alcohol
concentration, a digital density meter is really the most effective method.
However, this is a very costly piece of equipment and many organisations do not
have budget to buy one. A hydrometer can be used if you have sufficient fluid
volume. I have refined a method, initially published by Theresa Mayfield, that
uses salts (potassium carbonate and sodium chloride) to distinguish between
ethanol, isopropanol and aqueous solutions (formalin). It requires a 2-4ml
sample of fluid and can give a good indication of alcohol concentration. </font><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:"trebuchet ms",sans-serif">As highlighted by Rob,
this is not a test for the presence of formalin, but rather just that the
solution is aqueous or an alcohol with water combination. This method is awaiting peer review, but if anyone has any queries please get
in touch and I would be happy to share my research.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000">To determine the amount of
formaldehyde/formalin in solution there are several methods available. I have tested
three commercially available methods, and a titration method to determine
formalin concentration initially developed by Rob Waller and refined (very
slightly) by myself. In testing these different methods, comparisons and assessments
about the advantages and disadvantages of each method were made. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000">One of the first
challenges is getting your head around the terminology we use when describing
formalin, and this seems to vary between countries and institutions. What we often call “10% formalin” is actually
a dilution factor, from diluting a 1 part 100% formalin stock solution with 9
parts water. This 100% formalin stock solution is 37% by weight or 40% by volume
formaldehyde gas in water. This means that “10% formalin” is 3.7% (w/w) or 4% (w/v)
formaldehyde gas in water, which is 40,000 mg/L formaldehyde.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000"><br></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000">The titration method, has
the best resolution of the methods tested, only needs to be conducted once
without the need for multiple dilutions, also gives results for titratable
acidity, and has a small sample size of 0.75ml. Due to the costs of equipment
set up and materials for analysis, this would be a good method for institutions
who want to quantify the amount of formalin/formaldehyde in solution in fluid preservatives
and were aiming to conduct many tests, which would reduce the overall cost per
test.The paper that details the titration method and comparison to the commercially available methods, is also currently awaiting peer review, to be published later
this year in Collection Forum.</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000"></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000"><br></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000">Two
types of commercially available formaldehyde test strips were tested (MQuant
and Quantofix), and these give semi-quantitative results. As discussed on the
listserv previously, these test strips can be very challenging to use and
require significant dilution and calculations to get accurate results. They
measure in the range of 0mg/L to 100mg/L or 200mg/L. “10% formalin” (4% w/v formaldehyde gas in water) is 40,000mg/L so to get results in the range that the test strips
can read dilutions up to 1:1000 may need to be made. This can be time consuming
and costly as often more that one test strip and dilution are required to get a
result within the test strips range. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000">A
commercially available titration test kit, which uses the same chemical reaction as
the titration method above, was also tested (Hach Formaldehyde Test Kit: Model
FM-1). This can test formaldehyde concentration in solution within the ranges
of either 0.05 - 1% or 0.5% - 10% formaldehyde in solution (here is where
terminology is important – what we often call “10%
formalin” is 4% w/v formaldehyde gas in water). </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000">The solid
reagent supplied with this test kit is insoluble in ethanol, which is an issue
when testing for residual formalin in alcohol solutions. When I tested ethanol
solutions, I first dissolved the contents of the reagent sachet in 10ml demineralised
water and added that to the sample before titration. <span lang="EN-US" style="">Even though the
sample was diluted the drops of titrant were still counted as though each drop
represented 0.05% formaldehyde.</span><span lang="EN-US" style=""> </span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000">The
resolution of the results with this commercially available method is not as
great as the titration method above, and the sample size for the tests is
significantly larger (1ml or 10ml), however it is a simple to use method and
all the required materials are supplied. I would recommend for people wanting
to use this method to contact the supplier when ordering and request for a lid
for the test vial, to avoid spills when mixing the solid reagent with
the fluid preservative sample using the manufacturer's published method. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000">Methods
to test fluid preservatives need a lot more research, and this will enable us to have a greater understanding of the fluid chemistry and the impacts on specimens long-term preservation. </font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000">From
a health and safety perspective it is important for us to quantify how much
formaldehyde is in solution in fluid preservatives, be it from preservation in formalin or residual in alcohol preservatives from initial fixation in formalin. </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000">If
anyone would like more information about any of these methods, they will hopefully be published later this year, but in the meantime I would be happy
to discuss them with you – please get in touch!</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000"> </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" color="#000000">All
the best, </font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt"><font face="trebuchet ms, sans-serif" style="" color="#000000">Irene
Finkelde </font></p></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Fri, May 29, 2020 at 7:51 AM Hawks, Catharine <<a href="mailto:HawksC@si.edu">HawksC@si.edu</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<div>
<div dir="ltr">
<div dir="ltr">
<div></div>
<div>
<div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
</div>
<div>Am hoping that Irene will be able to respond - her work on this issue has been phenomenal and is soon to be published.</div>
<div>
<div style="direction:ltr">Sent from my iPhone</div>
<div style="direction:ltr">Catharine Hawks</div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="gmail-m_-5142518468531796623id-4a8ca143-bbec-4c31-9e9e-be1f80f92e38">
<hr style="display:inline-block;width:98%;font-family:-webkit-standard;font-size:12pt;color:rgb(0,0,0)">
<div id="gmail-m_-5142518468531796623divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif"><b>From:</b> Nhcoll-l <<a href="mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu" target="_blank">nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu</a>> on behalf of Mandy Reid <<a href="mailto:Mandy.Reid@austmus.gov.au" target="_blank">Mandy.Reid@austmus.gov.au</a>><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, May 28, 2020 5:40 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Robert Waller; <a href="mailto:nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu" target="_blank">nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin
<div> </div>
</font></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:12pt;background:rgb(255,235,156)"><b><span style="font-size:9pt;font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(156,101,0)">External Email - Exercise Caution</span></b></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Thanks Rob</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>You are absolutely right and I agree this is a very important distinction. I hope you don’t mind that I have copied it to the broader mailing list but kept the header so it is linked to the previous comments.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Cheers</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Mandy</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10pt">Dr Mandy Reid</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10pt"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10pt">Collection Manager, Malacology | Australian Museum Research Institute</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10pt">Australian Museum 1 William Street Sydney NSW 2010 Australia</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10pt">T</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10pt"> 61 2 9320 6412 |
<b>M</b> 61 431 829 842 | <b>F</b> 61 2 9320 6253</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10pt">Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10pt">The Australian Museum acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which the Museum is located, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. The Museum aspires to celebrate,
educate and preserve the diverse natural history and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span></p>
<div>
<div style="border-right:none;border-bottom:none;border-left:none;border-top:1pt solid rgb(225,225,225);padding:3pt 0cm 0cm">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">From:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> Robert Waller <<a href="mailto:rw@protectheritage.com" target="_blank">rw@protectheritage.com</a>>
<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, 29 May 2020 3:53 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> Mandy Reid <<a href="mailto:Mandy.Reid@austmus.gov.au" target="_blank">Mandy.Reid@austmus.gov.au</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> RE: Test for formalin</span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">Hi Mandy,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">That may be completely adequate for your needs but from a health and safety perspective we should recognize this is not a test for the absence of formalin but, rather, for the presence of alcohol. In that sense, it should
not be thought of as a “test for formalin” but a “test for alcohol” with the understanding that the alcohol may or may not also have a significant concentration of formalin. Again, that may not be important in your application but we always do well to ensure
terminology does not lead to misunderstandings.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA">Rob</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-CA"> </span></p>
<div>
<div style="border-right:none;border-bottom:none;border-left:none;border-top:1pt solid rgb(225,225,225);padding:3pt 0cm 0cm">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">From:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> Nhcoll-l <<a href="mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu" target="_blank">nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Mandy Reid<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, May 28, 2020 2:21 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu" target="_blank">nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin</span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Thank you to all the people who responded regarding testing for formalin when you are unsure whether a specimen is stored in ethanol or formalin (particularly problematic in
historic museum specimens). I had an excellent idea sent to me by colleagues from NIWA (<span style="color:black;background:white">The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research in Wellington, New Zealand) that I would like to share. It is very
simple, very inexpensive and it is very effective.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Simply draw a line of permanent marker on a strip of wet label paper. Dipped into a formalin solution, the marker stays intact. Dipped into an into an ethanol solution
the marker starts running, or bleeding into the paper. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">I tried it and it works perfectly. I have attached an image.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Cheers</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12pt"><span lang="EN-NZ" style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Mandy
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10pt">Dr Mandy Reid</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10pt">Collection Manager, Malacology | Australian Museum Research Institute</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10pt">Australian Museum 1 William Street Sydney NSW 2010 Australia</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10pt">T</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10pt"> 61 2 9320 6412 |
<b>M</b> 61 431 829 842 | <b>F</b> 61 2 9320 6253</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10pt"><img width="189" height="83" id="gmail-m_-5142518468531796623Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:1725dcadc774ce8e91" style="width: 1.9687in; height: 0.8645in;"></span></p>
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