[Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin

Thu Aug 31 10:06:05 EDT 2017

Interesting idea, John!

Combining the test strips (presence or absence or formaldehyde) with a 
table of calibrated readings of the different densities of e.g. full 
strength, 10 % and 4% formalin solution compared to normal alcohol 
readings of traditional alcohol- or hydrometre should probably offer a 
reasonable proxy!

All the best
Dirk

Am 31.08.2017 um 15:47 schrieb John E Simmons:
> I agree with Andy and Steve, Rob Waller's test strips work very well.
>
> There are commercial formaldehyde test strips available, but they are 
> designed to detect very minute traces of formaldehyde and thus are 
> likely to be triggered by trace amounts of formaldehyde remaining from 
> fixation in specimens stored in alcohol (I know, I have tried this in 
> the lab). In order to test for "10% formalin" (eliminating the 
> positive for trace amounts of formaldehyde) you have to dilute the 
> solution to be tested substantially and do the math. Its really not 
> worth it.
>
> I have not tried Sadie's hack before but that is a very clever 
> idea--the drawback, of course, is that you are not testing for the 
> presence of formaldehyde with it, just the presence of alcohol. If the 
> alcohol concentration is too low, the Sharpie ink would not run but it 
> would not indicate formaldehyde.
>
> Another hack you can use (which has the same limitation as Sadie's 
> idea) is check the concentration of the fluid. A "10% formalin" 
> solution is about 96% water; a 70% alcohol solution is 30% water.
>
> --John
>
>
> John E. Simmons
> Museologica
> 128 E. Burnside Street
> Bellefonte, Pennsylvania 16823-2010
> simmons.johne at gmail.com <mailto:simmons.johne at gmail.com>
> 303-681-5708
> www.museologica.com 
> <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.museologica.com&d=DwMFaQ&c=cjytLXgP8ixuoHflwc-poQ&r=LpYc_Z_iN1KRw0hheb3x6-8MJUMu482qfHowpGYJqwc&m=PWsL2qNgBwvzjmQHQSwAFKh1bpJDSxI6Ws64D4nRQOo&s=1E-I9Od-Mm1cinVzUOuNiZyBkinlBtY6OFHxGoHfQ7Y&e=>
> and
> Adjunct Curator of Collections
> Earth and Mineral Science Museum & Art Gallery
> Penn State University
> University Park, Pennsylvania
> and
> Instructor, Museum Studies
> School of Library and Information Science
> Kent State University
>
> On Wed, Aug 30, 2017 at 7:43 PM, Steve Halford <halford at sfu.ca 
> <mailto:halford at sfu.ca>> wrote:
>
>     I routinely made up and used Rob's test strips and supplied them
>     to OHS too.  They worked well except for a rather short shelf
>     life.  I believe they were commercially available at one time --
>     possibly through University Products?
>     Steve.
>
>     Steve Halford (halford at sfu.ca <mailto:halford at sfu.ca>)
>     Museum Technician (Retired)
>     Department of Biological Sciences
>     Simon Fraser University
>
>
>     On Wed, Aug 30, 2017 at 1:23 PM, Sadie Mills
>     <Sadie.Mills at niwa.co.nz <mailto:Sadie.Mills at niwa.co.nz>> wrote:
>
>         Hi Erling and NHColl list,
>
>         A very simple hack for this that we have been using in the
>         NIWA Invertebrate Collection is to cut up some scrap Resistall
>         label paper strips and put a simple stripe of sharpie
>         permanent marker on it. Dip the strip into the solution, and
>         if it runs you’ve got alcohol, if it doesn’t run you’ve got
>         formalin.
>
>         Simple, but very cheap and effective!
>
>         Cheers,
>
>         Sadie
>
>
>         Sadie Mills
>         Marine Biology Technician
>         Collections Manager
>
>         +64-4-386-0464 <tel:+64%204-386%200464>| 301 Evans Bay Parade,
>         Greta Point, Wellington| www.niwa.co.nz
>         <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.niwa.co.nz&d=DwMGaQ&c=cjytLXgP8ixuoHflwc-poQ&r=LpYc_Z_iN1KRw0hheb3x6-8MJUMu482qfHowpGYJqwc&m=UdU560RgcSyRskQwp78CQedm9r-7FD-BKKtN5dJSPFc&s=Pu6wCi6FALUdBWisihi40D9_wEgbdcNoAdl-ELIelPI&e=>
>
>
>         NIWA
>         <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.niwa.co.nz&d=DwMGaQ&c=cjytLXgP8ixuoHflwc-poQ&r=LpYc_Z_iN1KRw0hheb3x6-8MJUMu482qfHowpGYJqwc&m=UdU560RgcSyRskQwp78CQedm9r-7FD-BKKtN5dJSPFc&s=Pu6wCi6FALUdBWisihi40D9_wEgbdcNoAdl-ELIelPI&e=>
>
>
>         To ensure compliance with legal requirements and to maintain
>         cyber security standards, NIWA's IT systems are subject to
>         ongoing monitoring, activity logging and auditing. This
>         monitoring and auditing service may be provided by third
>         parties. Such third parties can access information transmitted
>         to, processed by and stored on NIWA's IT systems.
>
>         *From:*nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu
>         <mailto: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
>         *Erling Holm
>         *Sent:* Thursday, 31 August 2017 7:51 AM
>         *To:* NHCOLL <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
>         <mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>>
>         *Cc:* Mary Burridge <maryb at rom.on.ca
>         <mailto:maryb at rom.on.ca>>; Sarah Steele
>         <sarah.steele at mail.utoronto.ca
>         <mailto:sarah.steele at mail.utoronto.ca>>; Brenna Wells
>         <brennaw at rom.on.ca <mailto:brennaw at rom.on.ca>>
>         *Subject:* [Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin
>
>         Is there a quick test to determine if a fluid is formalin vs.
>         ethanol other than the "sniff" test? Are
>         the QUANTOFIX® Formaldehyde strips, which test for formalin up
>         to 200 ppm, useful for determining solutions of 5-10%  formalin?
>
>         Erling Holm
>
>         Department of Natural History (Ichthyology)
>
>         Royal Ontario Museum
>
>         100 Queens Park
>
>         Toronto, ON
>
>         M5S 2C6
>
>         Landlines: 416-586-5760 <tel:%28416%29%20586-5760> or
>         905-826-3215 <tel:%28905%29%20826-3215>
>
>         Mobile: 416-219-4152 <tel:%28416%29%20219-4152>
>
>         Email: erlingh at rom.on.ca <mailto:erlingh at rom.on.ca>
>
>         Out of the Depths: The Blue Whale Story. Du fond des mers: La
>         baleine bleue
>         <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.rom.on.ca_blue-2Dwhale&d=DwMFAw&c=cjytLXgP8ixuoHflwc-poQ&r=LpYc_Z_iN1KRw0hheb3x6-8MJUMu482qfHowpGYJqwc&m=XyO387sagd4lkpOTfQRGakTPYcSuS9mlrRRre4TlWgg&s=6JEhXlaqeyKT58Kd7uP6JIwQI3DeMBxxmvTz-Vzaufg&e=>
>
>         The ROM gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the
>         Ontario Government for this Ontario150 initiative.
>
>         /Le ROM tient à remercier le gouvernement de l’Ontario du
>         soutien financier qu’il apporte à cette initiative du Musée à
>         l’occasion d’Ontario150./
>
>
>
>
>
>         _______________________________________________
>         Nhcoll-l mailing list
>         Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu <mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
>         http://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>         <http://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l>
>
>         _______________________________________________
>         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 https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.spnhc.org&d=DwIDaQ&c=cjytLXgP8ixuoHflwc-poQ&r=LpYc_Z_iN1KRw0hheb3x6-8MJUMu482qfHowpGYJqwc&m=RNT6FHqTwnK-0OVfzxHh4C-hBHmKuzCmCLyKvRCEF4U&s=LkJutOuPOyBHyhIzQ1UYjyPYII1y3_0HugKZte7EW3E&e= 
>         <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.spnhc.org&d=DwMFaQ&c=cjytLXgP8ixuoHflwc-poQ&r=LpYc_Z_iN1KRw0hheb3x6-8MJUMu482qfHowpGYJqwc&m=lzAtzBGClqPvQgjyHN2X-BGveqkKSSbiCExx5tf-Lwk&s=hZPbaHOx1Ba-HyLrIAdGYPN46gUs7rtvdpLj3yibRnI&e=>
>         for membership information.
>         Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>
>
>
>     _______________________________________________
>     Nhcoll-l mailing list
>     Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu <mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
>     http://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>     <http://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l>
>
>     _______________________________________________
>     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 https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.spnhc.org&d=DwIDaQ&c=cjytLXgP8ixuoHflwc-poQ&r=LpYc_Z_iN1KRw0hheb3x6-8MJUMu482qfHowpGYJqwc&m=RNT6FHqTwnK-0OVfzxHh4C-hBHmKuzCmCLyKvRCEF4U&s=LkJutOuPOyBHyhIzQ1UYjyPYII1y3_0HugKZte7EW3E&e= 
>     <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.spnhc.org&d=DwMFaQ&c=cjytLXgP8ixuoHflwc-poQ&r=LpYc_Z_iN1KRw0hheb3x6-8MJUMu482qfHowpGYJqwc&m=PWsL2qNgBwvzjmQHQSwAFKh1bpJDSxI6Ws64D4nRQOo&s=yxmwcLJ3kfF_6CVZ5k0E-fFJViTZSaGc_rnppEG390U&e=>
>     for membership information.
>     Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing list
> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> http://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> 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 https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.spnhc.org&d=DwIDaQ&c=cjytLXgP8ixuoHflwc-poQ&r=LpYc_Z_iN1KRw0hheb3x6-8MJUMu482qfHowpGYJqwc&m=RNT6FHqTwnK-0OVfzxHh4C-hBHmKuzCmCLyKvRCEF4U&s=LkJutOuPOyBHyhIzQ1UYjyPYII1y3_0HugKZte7EW3E&e=  for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.

-- 
Dirk Neumann

Tel: 089 / 8107-111
Fax: 089 / 8107-300
email: Dirk.Neumann(a)zsm.mwn.de

Postanschrift:

Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns
Zoologische Staatssammlung München
Dirk Neumann, Sektion Ichthyologie / DNA-Storage
Münchhausenstr. 21
81247 München

Besuchen Sie unsere Sammlung:
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.zsm.mwn.de_ich_&d=DwIDaQ&c=cjytLXgP8ixuoHflwc-poQ&r=LpYc_Z_iN1KRw0hheb3x6-8MJUMu482qfHowpGYJqwc&m=RNT6FHqTwnK-0OVfzxHh4C-hBHmKuzCmCLyKvRCEF4U&s=IDm0rZBUO_HqWNw8rytTSi6GFTzq_y26JYT5vlmOzpM&e= 

---------

Dirk Neumann

Tel: +49-89-8107-111
Fax: +49-89-8107-300
email: Dirk.Neumann(a)zsm.mwn.de

postal address:

Bavarian Natural History Collections
The Bavarian State Collection of Zoology
Dirk Neumann, Section Ichthyology / DNA-Storage
Muenchhausenstr. 21
81247 Munich (Germany)

Visit our section at:
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.zsm.mwn.de_ich_&d=DwIDaQ&c=cjytLXgP8ixuoHflwc-poQ&r=LpYc_Z_iN1KRw0hheb3x6-8MJUMu482qfHowpGYJqwc&m=RNT6FHqTwnK-0OVfzxHh4C-hBHmKuzCmCLyKvRCEF4U&s=IDm0rZBUO_HqWNw8rytTSi6GFTzq_y26JYT5vlmOzpM&e= 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20170831/356568ce/attachment.html 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: imaged90804.JPG
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 20819 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20170831/356568ce/attachment.jpe 