[Nhcoll-l] Formalin transfer

Thu Sep 22 01:42:14 EDT 2022

Hi Mandy and Tonya,

Formalin solution is a technical solution of the gas in water until it is saturated (37% v/v or 40% w/v); above this the vapour pressure drives the gas out of the water, i.e., the gas escapes into the surrounding air. This effect is well observable when formalin-fixing specimens in hotter climates, where the formaldehyde gas that escaped from the solution is trapped below the lid of the container, and escapes from the container, each time the lid is opened (which can lead to a considerable reduction of the formaldehyde concentration in the fixation container).

By leaving the lid on the jars, you may affect the off-gasing of the formaldehyde, but you could increase the water-changing intervals to mitigate this.

Hope this helps
Dirk

Am 22.09.2022 um 04:38 schrieb Haff, Tonya (NCMI, Crace):
Hi Mandy,

We have and do face similar fume hood bottlenecks. I will let others speak more specifically about soaking in water with a lid on, but we solved many of our problems by purchasing a 'portable' (well, moveable...it's on a stand on casters) fume hood specially fitted with formaldehyde filters and alarm. If this is of interest let me know and I'm happy to pass on supplier info, etc.

Cheers,

Tonya

Collection Manager
Australian National Wildlife Collection, CSIRO
Ph: 0419569109

________________________________
From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu><mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Mandy Reid <Mandy.Reid at Australian.Museum><mailto:Mandy.Reid at Australian.Museum>
Sent: Thursday, 22 September 2022 11:17 AM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu> <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu><mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Cc: Rhiannon Stephens <Rhiannon.Stephens at Australian.Museum><mailto:Rhiannon.Stephens at Australian.Museum>
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Formalin transfer

We are currently working on a large project at the Australian Museum to transfer our entire mollusc collection out of formalin (in which it has been stored for historical reasons) and into ethanol for long term preservation.

We normally soak each specimen lot out in 3 changes of water in a fume hood with lids left off the containers/vials etc. to assist with degassing of the formaldehyde in solution. Our problem is a bottleneck in our workflow due to limitations imposed by our fumehood work space. I am wondering whether others in the group have faced similar issues and whether soaking out can possibly be done in water but leaving the lids on the containers (hence could be done on a lab bench after pouring off the formalin in the fume hood)? We don’t have a way to measure residual formalin after the soaking-out process so don’t know whether or not this will be effective.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Mandy

Dr Mandy Reid

Collection Manager | Malacology

Australian Museum  1 William Street Sydney NSW 2010 Australia

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Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des öffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Grüter (Kaufm. Geschäftsführer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst
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