[NHCOLL-L:4090] Re: Possible replacement to alcohol storage?

[John E Simmons]

The use of the fluid in the Smithsonian is an experiment-in-process.  The
use of it by the Smithsonian in the new ocean exhibit is not an endorsement
of the fluid for use as a replacement for other preservatives.

While Novec has wonderful optical characteristics and specimens can be seen
very clearly in it, it has several serious drawbacks:

   - Novec is not a preservative, but forms an envelope around the specimen
   that keeps certain preservatives (e.g., formaldehyde) trapped in the
   specimen, but removes others (e.g., alcohol).  Novec was designed to clean
   electronics (among other uses) and as a consequence of its cleaning action,
   it removes alcohol from specimens, which causes the specimens to
   deteriorate.  In order to keep specimens from deteriorating while in the
   Novec on exhibit, the specimens were removed from alcohol and returned to a
   formaldehyde solution.
   - The density of Novec is approximately 1.5 that of water, so fluid
   preserved specimens that are placed in it float--in fact, fluid preserved
   specimens are so buoyant in the Novec that they must be restrained to remain
   below the surface of the fluid, which can cause serious damage to the
   specimen.
   - Novec can be re-used, but it is very expensive--around US $275 per
   gallon.


While I think it is a very good thing that the Smithsonian is testing this
fluid on exhibit (the exhibition is designed to produce test data), in my
opinion we are far from having the information needed to recommend this
fluid for use with preserved specimens.  At this point, the known drawbacks
seriously outweigh the presumed advantages.

Hope this helps,
John

John E. Simmons
Museologica
128 E. Burnside Street
Bellefonte, Pennsylvania 16823-2010
simmons.johne at gmail.com
303-681-5708
and
Adjunct Curator of Collections
Earth and Mineral Science Museum & Art Gallery
Penn State University
19 Deike Building
University Park, Pennsylvania 16802-2709
jes67 at psu.edu

On Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 4:37 PM, Del Re, Christine <delre at mpm.edu> wrote:

>  Is anyone familiar with this new alcohol storage replacement, and what it
> can do to the scientific utility of specimens vs. the materials we are more
> familiar with?  I understand it is being used at the Smithsonian and would
> interested to hear from anyone there involved, or if any testing has been
> done.
>
>
>
> Thank you in advance, Chris Del Re
>
>
>
>
> http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Novec/Home/Solutions/Museum/#specimens
>
>
>
> Calamari in Smithsonian's new Ocean Hall
>
> Back in August, the area science writer's group got a sneak preview of the
> Smithsonian's new Sant Ocean Hall, which opened in September. The main
> reason was super-sized calamari – a 25-foot-long female specimen of a giant
> squid. This is calamari that would happily eat you – or another giant squid.
> Our expert said they tend to congregate in groups of about the same body
> size, which minimizes the threat of being eaten by one's neighbor.
> The Smithsonian used a new technology developed by 3M to preserve it. The
> fluid, called Novec, was originally developed as an electronics-friendly
> fire suppressant. One representative said they had operated laptop computers
> that were completely immersed in the stuff; another said one researcher had
> tossed a cell phone into it and called himself.
>
> Post 911, Smithsonian realized that the total volume of alcohol used to
> preserve specimens in its collections had approximately the explosive power
> of a fully loaded  747. So, a non-volatile fluid that didn't bleach or stain
> tissue and didn't cloud up over time was of great interest.
>



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