[NHCOLL-L:5955] Re: Solvent to reverse archival microslide mountants

[Doug Yanega]

>I have (in vain) been trying to find a less 
>health-&-safety-sensitive subtitute for xylene to loosen coverslips 
>on microslides where archival mountants such as Canada Balsam and 
>Euparal have oxidised, become contaminated or have otherwise 
>darkened.
>I have had cumene suggested (but with no experience) as a possible 
>safer subsitute.
>Does anyone have any idea what I might be able to use please?

While we rarely re-mount material already in archival mountants (most 
re-mounting is done from Hoyer's, which is water-soluble), clove oil 
(eugenol) seems to be good for taking specimens into or out of 
balsam, at least. Not sure how much penetration it might achieve with 
cover slips firmly in place.

Peace,
-- 

Doug Yanega        Dept. of Entomology         Entomology Research Museum
Univ. of California, Riverside, CA 92521-0314        skype: dyanega
phone: (951) 827-4315 (standard disclaimer: opinions are mine, not UCR's)
              http://cache.ucr.edu/~heraty/yanega.html
   "There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness
         is the true method" - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Chap. 82
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