[NHCOLL-L:2941] RE: Carosafe

[Simmons, John E]

Carosafe is a propylene glycol solution.  There is nothing in the
literature analyzing what effects propylene glycol may have on future
uses of you are concerned about shipping a specimen that is stored in
formalin, that's easy-ship it in water and notify the recipient that it
needs to be returned to a buffered formaldehyde solution immediately
upon receipt.  If you are concerned about shipping specimens stored in
alcohol, then using propylene glycol won't help, because you still have
the issue a solid (the specimen) that has absorbed the flammable
(alcohol).  In addition, you will rehydrate and dehydrate the specimen
by using the propylene glycol.

 

--John

 

 

Proprietary preservatives 


Brand Name


Supplier


Comments

Carosafe(r) &  Perfect Solution(r)

Carolina Biological Supply

Propylene glycol based compound

Nasco-Guard(r)

Nasco

Propylene glycol (1,2-propanediol)

Ward Safe

Wards Scientific

Methyl alcohol, 1,2-propanediol, phenol, and water

2-phenoxyethanol

 

various

Phenoxetol 

 

 

 

John E. Simmons

Collection Manager, Natural History Museum & Biodiversity Research
Center

and

Director, Museum Studies Program

University of Kansas

Dyche Hall

1345 Jayhawk Boulevard

Lawrence, Kansas 66045-7561

Telephone 785-864-4508; FAX 785-864-5335

jsimmons at ku.edu

www.nhm.ku.edu/herpetology/

www.ku.edu/~museumst/

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu
[mailto:owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Gregory
Watkins-Colwell
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2006 12:41 PM
To: nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu
Subject: [NHCOLL-L:2940] Carosafe

 

Has anyone ever taken a formalin-fixed wet specimen (or an 

ETOH-preserved wet specimen) of any species of animal and stored it 

in Carosafe or Wardsafe for any period of time?  Apparently, such a 

fluid is not hazardous and I know some folks may be considering using 

it as a shipping fluid.  I'm just wondering if anybody on the list 

has had any experience using it, other than for things purchased for 

classroom dissection.

 

How different is the tonicity of the fluid from ETOH?  I wonder if 

there would be any soft tissue damage from the transfer.

 

Greg

******************************************************

*       Gregory J. Watkins-Colwell

*       Vertebrate Zoology

*       Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History

*       170 Whitney Avenue, P. O. Box 208118

*       New Haven, CT  06520-8118

*       Phone: 203/432-3791

*       FAX: 203/432-2874

*       http://www.peabody.yale.edu

******************************************************  

 

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