[NHCOLL-L:4093] Re: Possible replacement to alcohol storage?

[Moore, Simon]

Dear All,
 
Without getting on a soap-box too much, I am severely worried by these
new trends to ban alcohol and especially formalin from museum
collections and/or displays.  The hazards are obvious and we have all, I
think, managed this far without any real problem.
John Simmons has mentioned the drawbacks to using Novec (which requires
initial fixation in formalin) and while I applaud the idea of someone
experimenting with an adapted biocide solution, it cannot possibly
replace the fluids that we have used, with great effect, for years.  For
a start, museums with fine collections and limited budgets would be hard
pressed to purchase enough and I have severe doubts about its
preservation longevity anyway.
 
I am about to publish a paper on the situation as I see it, rather
subjective maybe, in NatSCA News (see www.natsca.org in the future
months) and which will outline the situation, mention some older
fixative and preservative fluids - including the merits and de-merits of
glycols and phenoxetol (UK spelling!) and dispel a few myths.  
 
The main problem is that there are not enough people with a sole
(adequately funded) focus into researching the fundamental problem of
what will make an affordable,  less hazardous but effective fixative and
preservative for use in biological collections.  The situation is
becoming somewhat desperate and I fear that Health & Safety will
'triumph' too soon over common sense and years of good practical
experience before such panacea solutions are found and tested over time!
 
Hopefully this situation can be mooted in Leiden next Summer and some
programme initiated.
 

With all good wishes, 
Simon Moore, MIScT, FLS, ACR, 
Senior Conservator of Natural Sciences. 
Hampshire County Council 
Recreation & Heritage Department, 
Museums & Archives Service, 
Chilcomb House, Chilcomb Lane, 
Winchester SO23 8RD. UK. 
Internal  8 327 6737 
01962 826737 
http://www.hants.gov.uk/museum/biology 


 

________________________________

From: owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu
[mailto:owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu] On Behalf Of John E Simmons
Sent: 27 November 2008 04:34
To: delre at mpm.edu
Cc: NHCOLL-L at lists.yale.edu
Subject: [NHCOLL-L:4090] Re: Possible replacement to alcohol storage?


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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