[Nhcoll-l] Museum Study Skins and Mitigating Formalin

[Bentley, Andrew Charles]

Duke

You may consider getting a HEPA vacuum that can be used to vacuum skins, skeletal material and cases to get rid of powdered formalin.  PPE during this procedure is a must with respirator, gloves, lab coat etc. to protect those working on the material.

We use Nilfisk HEPA vacuum cleaners here at the Biodiversity Institute for all our collection needs - https://www.globalindustrial.com/p/nilfisk-gm-80-hepa-vacuum that come with multiple attachments and a 0.3 micron filtration system.

Andy
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Andy Bentley
Ichthyology Collection Manager
University of Kansas
Biodiversity Institute
Dyche Hall
1345 Jayhawk Boulevard<x-apple-data-detectors://9/>
Lawrence, KS, 66045-7561<x-apple-data-detectors://9/>
USA<x-apple-data-detectors://9/>

Tel: (785) 864-3863<tel:%28785%29%20864-3863>
Fax: (785) 864-5335<tel:%28785%29%20864-5335>
Email: abentley at ku.edu<mailto:abentley at ku.edu>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3093-1258
http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu<http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu/>
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From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> On Behalf Of Duke Rogers
Sent: Monday, August 28, 2023 3:56 PM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Museum Study Skins and Mitigating Formalin

Hi all,

I have a question about how to mitigate formalin on museum study skins (bird and mammal specimens).  As background, administrators at Brigham Young University Hawaii decided to close the small natural history museum associated with their university and as a result, vertebrate research specimens have been dispersed to other institutions.  BYU Provo received ~1,700 mammal specimens including  ~500 skins and 1,200 skull/skeleton only preparations as well as ~4,000 bird specimens.  Unfortunately, the "fumigant" used in the Steel Fixture cases was powdered formalin.  Apparently formalin powder was used this way for decades.  The powder was removed from the museum cases prior to shipment from Hawaii to Utah.  However, the wooden trays, specimen boxes and of course, the specimens themselves are permeated with the stuff.  I can replace the wooden drawers with metal ones and put the skulls/skeletons in new containers.  I am also considering soaking all the skeletal material in water to get rid of residual formalin.  I can also cleanse the inside of the metal cases.  However, I am not sure how to deal with the museum study skins themselves.  Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Duke
_______________________
Duke S. Rogers
Emeritus Professor of Biology
Emeritus Curator of Mammals

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