[Nhcoll-l] Cleaning out shells

Fri Aug 5 15:37:09 EDT 2016

Lab surfactant: I use Alconox, but plain Trisodium phosphate works pretty well too.

PC

Paul Callomon
Collection Manager, Malacology, Invertebrate Paleontology and General Invertebrates
________________________________
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia PA 19103-1195, USA
callomon at ansp.org<mailto:callomon at ansp.org> Tel 215-405-5096 - Fax 215-299-1170

From: Simon Moore [mailto:couteaufin at btinternet.com]
Sent: Friday, August 05, 2016 2:42 PM
To: Callomon,Paul
Cc: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Cleaning out shells

As an add-on to Paul's suggestion I would add some lab. surfactant to the water so that it's about 3% concentration, this will help to rehydrate the contents and it helps if the water is at least warm. Make sure the shower is working for afterwards!

With all good wishes, Simon.

Simon Moore MIScT, RSci, FLS, ACR
Conservator of Natural Sciences and Cutlery Historian,
www.natural-history-conservation.com<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.natural-2Dhistory-2Dconservation.com&d=CwIFAg&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=tpmK1XmESisR_n3iakmL01UBi1X-rNEkJJ9NOkDgkj0&s=fWqvL5ypF5MZqk2LXSxiAcHrx4cCOJuA-evjLUnHD8c&e= >

On 05 Aug 2016, at 18:51, Callomon,Paul <prc44 at drexel.edu<mailto:prc44 at drexel.edu>> wrote:

Soak in warm water for a few hours, then use a water-pik or a thin hoze nozzle to blast out the remains. Do this in a sink or tub of water and keep the shell and the nozzle submerged. Wear old clothes. Cancel any dates that evening.

PC

From: nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Karen Morton
Sent: Friday, August 05, 2016 1:44 PM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Cleaning out shells

Dear List Members,

Does anyone have any advice for the best way to clean out old shells?  We received a donation of fossils and marine shells, and we are discovering that many of the shells are not exactly empty of their former residents.

We have already run everything through our freezer to make sure there weren't any live pests included, so now we just need to try to get the contents out of the shells.  They don't smell too wonderful!

Thank you.

Sincerely,
KAREN MORTON
Collections Manager
Perot Museum of Nature and Science
P 214.756.5722 | karen.morton at perotmuseum.org<mailto:karen.morton at perotmuseum.org>

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