[Nhcoll-l] Fluid Preserved Specimen - Transfer From Formalin to Ethanol - Seeking Advice on Using a Vacuum for Air Trapped in Specimen

[White, Jaclyn]

Hi everyone,

I am currently transferring a fish specimen from buffered 5% formalin to 75% ethanol. I have been following the instructions in Fluid Preservation - A Comprehensive Reference to stage them through ethanol concentrations (20/40/60/75). After placing the specimen in 20% ethanol concentration, it appears air has been trapped within the specimen and the instructions are to place the specimen in a vacuum to remove the air.

Has anyone here had experience using a vacuum for this purpose? Does this typically occur at the first staging step? If the specimen has been in 20% ethanol for over 24 hours and I complete the vacuum step, do I need to start over at 20% or can I move directly to 40%?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance,

Jaclyn White | Natural History Collections Intern
Archives and Collections Department
The Rooms - St. John's, Newfoundland


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