[Nhcoll-l] Moldy mammal specimens

[Benjamin Hess]

Jessica,

I treated an entire cabinet with mammal specimens, which included several
bats. I am listing our process steps below. If you have any
questions, please let me know. I am happy to share more specific details.

   - Isolate the cabinet out of the collection (if possible). We moved ours
   to our preparation lab.
   - Remove moldy specimens from the cabinet and place inside a fume hood.
   - Discard any archival trays that may hold mold spores. Place in a
   sealed trash bag.
   - Use 70% ethanol to wipe all surfaces of the cabinet including seal. If
   possible, you can spray the cabinet with 70% ethanol. Use HEPA vacuum after
   each treatment. Repeat 2-3 times depending upon mold severity.
   - If this is an older cabinet, consider improving the seal.
   - Check the temperature and humidity conditions of the cabinet location.
   We discovered an airflow issue and resealed a collection door that
   contributed to the issue.
   - Specimens:
      - Under the fume hood, use 70% ethanol and a small brush like a
      toothbrush (soft brush or Q-tip for bat membrane) to coat all surfaces of
      specimens with mold. Use new ethanol frequently based upon mold coverage.
      - Leave specimens in the fume hood until dry.
      - With a dry brush, brush specimens toward HEPA vacuum with screen
      over tip to prevent unwanted vacuuming (e.g., specimen tags).
      - Depending upon the severity of mold, repeat 2-3 times.
      - Once complete, dry specimens under fume hood with a drying method
      for specimen preparation including compressed air and additional drying
      "dust" for skins.
      - No paper material beyond specimen labels should be retained.

Sincerely,

Ben

*Benjamin M. Hess | EEB Museums Registrar | **EEB Museums Safety
Representative to the RMC *

University of Michigan | LSA Ecology & Evolutionary Biology | Research
Museums Center

3600 Varsity Drive, Ann Arbor MI 48108-2228

bmhess at umich.edu | 734-764-2432




On Wed, Jul 3, 2024 at 2:56 PM Jessica E. Light <jessica.light at ag.tamu.edu>
wrote:

> Hi everyone,
>
> Anyone have any advice for the best treatment for mold on preserved skins
> (small mammals, primarily bats, mostly on exposed wing and tail membranes
> and ear/face tissue) and skeletal elements (mainly skulls)? I'm looking for
> advice for treating the specimens themselves as well as the cases in which
> the specimens are stored.
>
> Thank you in advance for your help!
> Jessica
>
> --
> Dr. Jessica E. Light (she/her/hers)
> Professor and Curator of Mammals
> Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology
> Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections
> Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843https://lightjessica.weebly.com
>
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