[Nhcoll-l] Glycol-formalin interactions from pitfalls

[Chinn, Anna RBCM:EX]

Hi everyone,

We have several hundred frozen small mammals that were originally collected from pitfall traps and that we are hoping to fluid preserve. By some word of mouth, we've heard that formalin used in fixation may adversely interact with any glycol remaining on the specimens from the pitfalls. We've read that transferring specimens from formalin into glycol will cause the glycol to go cloudy over time, but what about transferring specimens in the other direction? Has anyone had preservation issues with formalin-fixing pitfall mortalities, then storing the specimens in 70% ethanol?

Any advice or experience would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Anna


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Anna Chinn    Collection Manager, Birds and Mammals |  Collections Care and Conservation


ROYAL BC MUSEUM
Traditional Territory of the Lekwungen (Songhees and Xwsepsum Nations)
675 Belleville Street, Victoria, BC Canada V8W 9W2

achinn at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca | royalbcmuseum.bc.ca<https://www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca>

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