[Nhcoll-l] Clear styrene in collections

[Callomon,Paul]

Folks,

We are working on a new storage system for small dry specimens that is more space-efficient than our current tray-and-vial setup. As part of the research, I'm trying to assess the long-term durability of polystyrene - the material from which clear plastic boxes (such as those sold by Althor) is made. We have been using this since the 1980s and with very few exceptions it has remained stable. However, we have also acquired private collections with polystyrene boxes that have yellowed and crazed over similar time periods. Inquiries in the industry previously revealed that the formula for polystyrene can vary between production runs, as the proportion of flow agent (an additive that helps the liquid plastic flow and form itself to the mold) to plastic can be adjusted to compensate for temperature and other environmental factors.

If you know of any relevant literature, particularly published tests or long-term surveys on polystyrene, please pass the references on.

Paul Callomon
Collection Manager, Malacology and General Invertebrates
________________________________
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia PA 19103-1195, USA
prc44 at drexel.edu<mailto:prc44 at drexel.edu> Tel 215-405-5096 - Fax 215-299-1170

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