[Nhcoll-l] Arsenic SOPS for vertebrate collections

[Simon Moore]

Intersting topic for me too as I have to test taxidermy specimens that are on open display and ‘shedding powder’!  My tests are calibrated in parts per billion (ppb). Dependent on which organisation I am working for the Standard procedures differ slightly.

A plea from the UK: Please could we have less acronyms that are unexplained - the UWYMV is explained in the address so OK but sometimes these are not and don’t travel too well!

With all good wishes, Simon.

Simon Moore MIScT, RSci, FLS, ACR
Conservator of Natural Sciences and Cutlery Historian,
www.natural-history-conservation.com 




> On 5 Oct 2017, at 22:21, Patti Finkle <pfinkle at caspercollege.edu> wrote:
> 
> Beth,
> 
>   Good question! I'm with the Werner Wildlife Museum here in Casper. We have tested a majority of our bird collection and have all of our arsenic positive birds clearly labeled. They have their accession tag as well as a larger one indicating arsenic. The ones that aren't on exhibit are stored separately from the rest of the collection and anyone who handles them has to do so with precaution. We have a section in our collections policy about it. I do most of the handling IF those specimens need to be handled, though. Ours isn't a teaching collection, so the everyday handling is different, but we do deal with them differently.
> 
> I'm interested to follow this thread and see what pops!
> 
> Patti
> 
> On Thu, Oct 5, 2017 at 11:50 AM, Elizabeth Wommack <ewommack at uwyo.edu <mailto:ewommack at uwyo.edu>> wrote:
> Hello everyone,
> 
> The UWYMV is putting together SOPs for our teaching and research collections for historic arsenic exposure. 
> I was wondering if any one had examples of SOPs that they've had to come up with for their collections? 
> If anyone has tested and found arsenic in their specimens, how do you go about labeling the specimens, and do you house them separately from the rest of your collection?
> 
> I'm specifically interested in how you handle making your historic collection accessible and usable by students and researchers, but also safe.
> 
> We're most concerned about our bird collections presently, but this will also extend to our mammal collections as well.
> 
> Any advice and suggestions are very much appreciated.
> 
> Thank you,
> Beth Wommack
> 
> -- 
> Elizabeth Wommack, PhD
> Curator and Collections Manager of Vertebrates
> University of Wyoming Museum of Vertebrates
> Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center
> University of Wyoming, Laramie
> Laramie, WY 82071
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> 
> -- 
> Patti Wood Finkle
> Director of Museums 
> ~Tate Geological Museum
> ~Werner Wildlife Museum
> Casper College
> 307-268-3026
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