[Nhcoll-l] Arsenic testing
Fran Ritchie
franritchie at gmail.com
Tue Feb 25 15:47:12 EST 2014
I meant to "reply to all" earlier when I e-mailed Lena back. Victoria,
I've used a homemade test kit that I assembled based off of the method that
Cathy Hawks adapted and that Ellen Carrlee described on her blog: http://
ellencarrlee.wordpress.com/?s=arsenic+testing I've had multiple successes
with it, using the swab method, but now I can't remember exactly how much
residue was on the surface. I don't think it was much. (I was able to
confirm my findings with XRF, too. The sample that was negative also
tested negative using XRF.)
The downside is that you need to make/have KOH and HCl, which is difficult
if you're working for a smaller museum with limited or no lab space. The
first time I ran this arsenic test I was working for a small museum with no
lab and was able to take my samples to a local university chem lab. Ellen
points out that her molar solution was obtained from a local pharmacist.
Lena, just curious how you know the specimens have arsenic and that the
accumulation of material on the base isn't Borax?
Thanks,
Fran Ritchie
Andrew W. Mellon Fellow in
Objects Conservation
National Museum of the American Indian
RitchieF at si.edu
On Tue, Feb 25, 2014 at 2:58 PM, Wilke, Victoria <vwilke at oeb.harvard.edu>wrote:
> Depending on the time the mounts you are referencing were made, arsenic
> could have been applied as a paste, powder or soap.
>
>
>
> I have read (multiple times!) that re-testing is necessary due to negative
> results. Have you ever tested the same specimen using different methods?
> I've never used the The Macherey-Nagel Arsenic Paper Test, but would like
> to hear other's experiences.
>
>
>
> Victoria
>
>
>
> *From:* nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu [mailto:
> nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] *On Behalf Of *Lena Hernandez
> *Sent:* Tuesday, February 25, 2014 2:25 PM
> *To:* Gegick, Patricia, DCA
>
> *Cc:* nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> *Subject:* Re: [Nhcoll-l] Arsenic testing
>
>
>
> I can understand the potential to miss the arsenic when swabbing, which I
> believe is why it is recommended to retest specimens every three years or
> so if you get an initial negative result. Unfortunately, my testing issue
> does not seem to be so simple as that. One of the specimens I tested had
> quite the accumulation of arsenic below it on the base it was mounted on,
> but still I got a negative result.
>
>
>
> I appreciate all of the responses I have gotten so far, but if anyone
> else has thoughts please voice them!
>
>
>
> Lena Hernandez
>
> Collections Manager/Registrar
>
> Museum of Science and History
>
> 1025 Museum Circle
>
> Jacksonville, FL 32207
>
> (904)396-6674 x212
>
>
>
> *From:* Gegick, Patricia, DCA [mailto:patricia.gegick at state.nm.us<patricia.gegick at state.nm.us>]
>
> *Sent:* Tuesday, February 25, 2014 1:41 PM
> *To:* Kirsten Nicholson; Lena Hernandez
> *Cc:* nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> *Subject:* RE: [Nhcoll-l] Arsenic testing
>
>
>
> Dear listees,
>
> It is my understanding that the arsenic was in a paste form applied to the
> inside skin of the animal. It is tiny crystals of this that can migrate to
> the surface when dry. If the "cotton swabbing" method is being used, it
> seems that it depends on whether or not you happen to capture a crystal on
> your swab. I've always been slightly skeptical myself as far as whether my
> "negatives" are valid. Anyone else have this problem?
>
> Patti
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *Patricia J. Gegick Bioscience Collections Specialist Department of
> Collections and Research New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science
> 1801 Mountain Road, NW Albuquerque, NM 87104-1375 Phone: 505.841.2867
> <505.841.2867> Fax: 505.841.2808 <505.841.2808> email:
> patricia.gegick at state.nm.us <patricia.gegick at state.nm.us> *
>
> "Every calculation based on experience elsewhere fails in New Mexico." Lew
> Wallace, New Mexico Territorial Governor from 1878-1881. New Mexico: The
> Land of Enchantment
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu [
> mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu<nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu>]
> *On Behalf Of *Kirsten Nicholson
> *Sent:* Tuesday, February 25, 2014 10:55 AM
> *To:* Lena Hernandez
> *Cc:* nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> *Subject:* Re: [Nhcoll-l] Arsenic testing
>
>
>
> So we have done some fairly extensive testing in our collection and had
> the same results. Generally this happened where arsenic prepared specimens
> were in contact with "clean" specimens" and from the literature I am
> understand that there can be cross contamination. So if possible, you want
> to quarantine your arsenic specimens away from clean specimens if possible
> (there are a number of ways to accomplish this).
>
>
>
> I would love to hear what others have to offer, though.
>
>
>
> Kirsten
>
>
>
> On Tue, Feb 25, 2014 at 9:21 AM, Lena Hernandez <LHernandez at themosh.org>
> wrote:
>
>
>
> Hi all,
>
>
>
> Recently I attempted testing for arsenic in the mounted specimens of our
> collection. My issues, that I hope some of you can help with, is that I am
> getting a negative result on specimens that I am sure have arsenic. Has
> anyone else run into this problem? If so how did you solve it? I am
> following the protocol developed by NPS in their Conserve-o-Gram 2/3 and
> using Hach's arsenic test kit, since the one recommended by NPS is no
> longer made. Any suggestions would be most welcome. Feel free to contact me
> off list if you would prefer.
>
>
>
>
>
> Lena Hernandez
>
> Collections Manager/Registrar
>
>
>
> Museum of Science and History
>
> 1025 Museum Circle
>
> Jacksonville, FL 32207
>
> (904)396-6674 x212
>
> lhernandez at themosh.org
>
>
>
>
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>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Kirsten E. Nicholson, Ph.D
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *Assoc. Prof. Biology and Curator of Natural History Dept.
> of Biology Museum of Cultural and Natural
> History 217 Brooks Hall 103 Rowe Hall Central
> Michigan Univ. Central Michigan University Mt. Pleasant,
> MI 48859 Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859 989-774-3758 <989-774-3758>
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> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
>
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