[NHCOLL-L:6002] Re: replacing steedmans solution with ?ethanol [SEC=UNCLASSIF...

Wed Apr 25 18:32:44 EDT 2012

Dear Felicity,

I was hoping that someone else might venture on this one as my experience  
is now somewhat old.

When I worked at the NHM, London in the 70s on fixative comparisons I  was 
asked to test Steedman's fluids on rat livers.  I did and the results  were 
excellent.  There then followed a slightly unwise move to shift many  
collections into these fluids.  I was too junior to protest and was wary  about 
this as they had not (then) been tested in the longer term.  The  humectant 
additives do have a slightly swelling effect on many tissues over time  but I 
have had the confidence to stay with the fixative for many years and the  
preservative too but for a limited number of organisms only.  Certainly the  
fluids were originally developed for zooplankton and as a guard against 
drying  out.
Unfortunately some totally unsuitable specimens were also transferred, such 
 as large fish and, in time, subsequently blackened the name of  
phenoxetol.  
What all this is leading to is be very careful when transferring  
Steedman-fixed/preserved small/microscopic animals into alcohol (which would be  most 
likely storage medium) as the osmotic pressure shock would damage them  
irreparably.  They would take some time and a steady hand to transfer them  up 
an alcohol dehydration ladder in stages of 5%.  Many museums (alas!) are  
outlawing formalin in any form or dilution due to H&S/litigation  reasons 
despite the fact that it is the only reliable fixing fluid and in  Steedman's 
fixative is quite dilute - more so than 10% fixing strength  formalin.  Given 
that the number actual cases where formalin has actually  caused health 
problems are minute, there is a slight (and unnecessary in my  view) wind of 
panic whenever the F word is mentioned! Defakald is still being  tested as a 
formalin alternative but its testing days are not yet over.  
What I am saying is resist the temptation to change such delicate organisms 
 into another fluid but by all means ensure that those who open the 
containers  know what is contained within, that they should take the correct  
precautions.  There are formaldehyde-allergic persons but provided it is  used 
cautiously then there should contunue to be no problems.

I hope that this will help.

With all good  wishes, Simon

Simon Moore MIScT, FLS, ACR,
Conservator of Natural  Sciences and Cutlery Historian,

_www.natural-history-conservation.com_ 
(http://www.natural-history-conservation.com/)  
_www.pocket-fruit-knives.info_ (http://www.pocket-fruit-knives.info/)  

_http://uk.linkedin.com/in/naturalsciencespecimenconserve_ 
(http://uk.linkedin.com/in/naturalsciencespecimenconserve)   

In a message dated 24/04/2012 01:00:59 GMT Daylight Time,  
Felicity.McEnnulty at aad.gov.au writes:

Hello all,  
I am biodiversity curator at the Australian Antarctic  Division and am 
working my way through our legacy collections. There is a  considerable amount 
of zooplankton that was preserved in Steedmans fixative  solution (propylene 
glycol, propylene phonoxetol, Formaldehyde 37%) and then  preserved in 
steedmans storage solution (propylene glycol, propylene  phonoxetol) once 
identified.  
We are going through these collections to find  representatives of each 
species to lodge at Australian Museums. Some of these  samples are almost out 
of preservative. Does any one have a recommendation of  what we can preserve 
them in to replace the Steedmans with as the museums are  not keen on 
samples in Steedmans solutions. They were preserved in Steedmans  to maintain 
flexability to allow the krill to be measured, now this has  occurred they could 
be transferred to another medium if this is  possible. 
If anyone has experience in dealing with these samples and  can recommend 
how to deal with them  I would love to hear from  you. 
Thanks, 
Felicity 
Felicity  McEnnulty 
Biodiversity Curator 
Australian Antarctic Division 
Department of  Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and 
Communities   
203 Channel Highway 
Kingston Tasmania 7050 
Australia 
Ph: +61 3 6232 3368 
Mob: +61 418502138 
_felicity.mcennulty at aad.gov.au_ (mailto:glenn.johnstone at aad.gov.au)  

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