[NHCOLL-L:388] Marine Invertebrates Conservation

[marechal]

Hi

actually I am PhD student at the National Museum of Natural History in
Paris, working at the marine biology laboratory in Concarneau (Britany) on
maritime museology and maritim natural heritage. I begin a research about
new methods for marine invertebrates conservation. The aim is to produce
specimen stored without the use of alcohol or formalin. We want to study
"new methods" with marine invertebrates, especially with soft body, then
compare the methods to improve the technics (to show theim in exhibition,
for pedagogic work with children or for scientific collections ...).
Actually, we use freezing (classical, liquid N ...), different cetone and
alcohol baths, petrol ether and oil of paraffin, sometimes freeze-drying
and other chemical treatment like tryphenilphosphate or elastomers. I have
no result for the moment because I just begin the program.
I read paper from Dr Romero-Sierra, J.C. Webb, G.W. Lyons, J.K. Desmarteau
... about preparation of freeze-dried samples, anatomical and biological
specimens in the 80's. I have never used plastination but I read papers
from Dr Von Hagens about anatomical plastination. I think it could be
interresting to test the method with marine invertebrate because of their
soft body.
I write you to know if people are working on these methods and then, if we
could exchange experience. I am looking as well for bibliography and articles.
I thank you very much for your collaboration.

BEST WHISES

Jean-Philippe Maréchal

Jean-Philippe Maréchal
Station de Biologie Marine 
du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle et du Collège de France
BP 225
29 182 Concarneau
tel : 02 98 97 06 59
fax : 02 98 97 81 24