<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;
charset=windows-1252">
</head>
<body>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Dear Nicole,</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">the first articles of the first Fluid
Preservation congress in Paris in 2018 published in Collection
Forum are available <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://meridian.allenpress.com/collection-forum/issue/34/1">online</a>.
Among these is Irene Finkelde's and Asher Newsome's salting-out
article which is a nice an cost-efficient way to check fluids, and
the article of Irene and Rob Waller to determine formaldehyde
concentrations in preserving fluids.</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Besides the well recognisable smell of
formaldehyde, density differences between the water-based
formaldehyde solution and alcohol should be easy to detect. Be
aware that if you have historic specimens (pre 1900), different
salts could have been used to increase the preserving strength of
the alcohol. Many of these salts are not too healthy, and
necessary precautions should be taken when handling such objects.
<br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Transfer: Not in all cases it is
recommended to transfer specimens form formalin into alcohol, Paul
pointed to this already. Especially some marine invertebrates like
jelly fish or tunicates may suffer if they are moved from their
original preservative fluid (often formalin).</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">You should be careful with distilled
water, as this is very acidic. Tap water should be fine if there
are not additives in it (e.g. chlorinated), and slow stepping with
more steps (e.g. 20/40/60/75) should be preferred for delicate
specimens.</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Highly recommended reference and
bed-lecture for all people working with fluid preserved specimens
is the masterpiece John (Simmons) put together:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.amazon.com/Fluid-Preservation-Comprehensive-John-Simmons/dp/1442229659">https://www.amazon.com/Fluid-Preservation-Comprehensive-John-Simmons/dp/1442229659</a></div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">It is the reference I love to consult
and I am very happy to have this valuable book in reach on the
shelf behind me.<br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Hope this helps</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Dirk</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Am 20.08.2021 um 22:25 schrieb Nicole
Seiden:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:MN2PR04MB611221E71C814642E64FC1EDACC19@MN2PR04MB6112.namprd04.prod.outlook.com">
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;
charset=windows-1252">
<style type="text/css" style="display:none;">P {margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;}</style>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255,
255, 255);">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in
8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,
sans-serif">
Hello and happy Friday! <o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in
8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,
sans-serif">
I was recently hired as a collections manager with the initial
tasks of digitizing and re-opening the collections. The
collections have been “ignored” for some time now and both the
specimens and the database have numerous discrepancies that
I’ve been addressing. Currently, I’m working with our
wet-preserved specimens and want to ask the community for some
advice. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in
8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,
sans-serif">
A large portion of our specimens (> 4,000) are preserved in
an unknown fluid (listed as N/A), and many of which require
topping up or rehousing to larger jars. Our most common
preservative is ethanol, and it’s very likely that most are in
ethanol or isopropyl, though I have had the unpleasant
misfortune of opening a few preserved in formalin. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in
8pt;line-height:107%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Calibri,
sans-serif">
Previous discussions indicated there is not a method to
determine the fluid type, but is there a way to transfer the
specimens into a known preservative? My initial thought is to
rinse (or soak?) them in DI water and then transfer into
ethanol. Does this pose any risk to the specimens (i.e., lead
to damage)? Are there any precautions I should follow?
<o:p> </o:p></p>
<br>
</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255,
255, 255);">
Many thanks in advanced, </div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255,
255, 255);">
Nicki</div>
<div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<div id="Signature">
<div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, Helvetica,
sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<p style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: start;
background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span style="color: rgb(23, 78, 134);"><b>Nicki L.
Seiden, M.Sc.</b></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: start;
background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 36, 81);"></span><span
style="color: rgb(23, 78, 134);">She/Her/Hers</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: start;
background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span style="color: rgb(23, 78, 134);"></span><span
style="color: rgb(23, 78, 134);"><i>Research
Collection Manager</i></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: start;
background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<span style="color: rgb(23, 78, 134);">Harbor Branch
Oceanographic Institute</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family:
Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: start;
background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">
<a href="mailto:hmcqueen@fau.edu" target="_blank"
rel="noopener noreferrer" style="margin: 0px; color:
rgb(5, 99, 193); text-decoration: underline;"
moz-do-not-send="true">nseiden@fau.edu</a></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br>
<fieldset class="mimeAttachmentHeader"></fieldset>
<pre class="moz-quote-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="https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l">https://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="http://www.spnhc.org">http://www.spnhc.org</a> for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
</pre>
</blockquote>
<p><br>
</p>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
<p><img src="cid:part3.59191ADE.656E83B6@snsb.de" alt=""
width="152" height="59"></p>
<p><br>
Dirk Neumann<br>
<br>
Tel: 089 / 8107-111<br>
Fax: 089 / 8107-300<br>
neumann(a)snsb.de<br>
<br>
Postanschrift:<br>
<br>
Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns<br>
Zoologische Staatssammlung München<br>
Dirk Neumann, Sektion Ichthyologie / DNA-Storage<br>
Münchhausenstr. 21<br>
81247 München<br>
<br>
Besuchen Sie unsere Sammlung:<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.zsm.mwn.de/sektion/ichthyologie-home/">http://www.zsm.mwn.de/sektion/ichthyologie-home/</a><br>
<br>
---------<br>
<br>
Dirk Neumann<br>
<br>
Tel: +49-89-8107-111<br>
Fax: +49-89-8107-300<br>
neumann(a)snsb.de<br>
<br>
postal address:<br>
<br>
Bavarian Natural History Collections<br>
The Bavarian State Collection of Zoology<br>
Dirk Neumann, Section Ichthyology / DNA-Storage<br>
Muenchhausenstr. 21<br>
81247 Munich (Germany)<br>
<br>
Visit our section at:<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.zsm.mwn.de/sektion/ichthyologie-home/">http://www.zsm.mwn.de/sektion/ichthyologie-home/</a><br>
<br>
</p>
</div>
</body>
</html>