[Nhcoll-l] [External] Re: [EXTERN] Transferring a worm to new fixative

Wed Mar 25 16:50:27 EDT 2026

AI is helpful in stating that the color of the Bouin's solution before
specimens are added is yellow (a very bright yellow), but adding the
specimen may change the color, as it has in this container of Bouin's
solution:
[image: image.png]

John E. Simmons
US Fulbright Senior Scholar
Writer and Museum Consultant, Museologica
*and*
Research Associate, Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum & Art Gallery, Penn
State University
*and*
Investigador Asociado, Departamento de Ornitología, Museo de Historia
Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima

On Wed, Mar 25, 2026 at 3:32 PM ajvandam at alcomon.com <ajvandam at alcomon.com>
wrote:

> This AI generated text when searching terms “Bouin” and “worms” might be
> of interest:
>
> Bouin’s fluid is an excellent fixative for histological studies of worms,
> particularly for soft-bodied invertebrates like helminths, annelids, and
> nematodes, due to its ability to penetrate dense tissues well and preserve
> cellular detail
> . It is a yellow-colored compound mixture composed of saturated picric
> acid, formaldehyde, and acetic acid, which works well for maintaining
> structural integrity during paraffin embedding.
>
> Kind regards, Dries
>
> Andries J. van Dam
>
> Verstuurd vanaf mijn iPhone
>
> Op 25 mrt 2026 om 19:20 heeft Dirk Neumann <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de> het
> volgende geschreven:
>
> 
> should have a really low pH plus the vivid yellow stain. But still should
> not give that peeling if dipped into formalin, because Bouin and formalin
> have a lot in common.
>
>
> Am 25.03.2026 um 18:44 schrieb John E Simmons:
>
> Interesting idea. Picric acid usually colors the alcohol bright yellow,
> but I have seen some old containers of specimens in Bouin's Solution that
> were more orange than yellow. I had not thought of that... Does anyone know
> of a test for picric acid?
>
> John E. Simmons
> US Fulbright Senior Scholar
> Writer and Museum Consultant, Museologica
> *and*
> Research Associate, Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum & Art Gallery, Penn
> State University
> *and*
> Investigador Asociado, Departamento de Ornitología, Museo de Historia
> Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima
>
>
> On Wed, Mar 25, 2026 at 1:32 PM Opitz, Cindy E <cindy-opitz at uiowa.edu>
> wrote:
>
>> Given the acrid smell, could it be a picric acid solution? Is there a
>> test for that?
>>
>>
>>
>> *Cindy Opitz*
>> Director of Research Collections
>>
>> Museum of Natural History and Old Capitol Museum
>>
>> Instructor, Museum Studies Certificate Program
>>
>> The University of Iowa
>> 11 Macbride Hall, Iowa City, Iowa 52242
>> Office: 319.335.0481
>>
>> cindy-opitz at uiowa.edu
>> *mnh.uiowa.edu, <https://mnh.uiowa.edu/> oldcap.uiowa.edu
>> <https://oldcap.uiowa.edu/> *
>>
>> <image001.png>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> *On Behalf Of *John
>> E Simmons
>> *Sent:* Wednesday, March 25, 2026 12:13 PM
>> *To:* Dirk Neumann <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
>> *Cc:* nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
>> *Subject:* [External] Re: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Transferring a worm to new
>> fixative
>>
>>
>>
>> Try using the salting out method to see if it tests positive for
>> isopropyl, ethanol, or formaldehyde
>>
>>
>>
>> Finkelde, I., and R.R. Waller. 2020. Salting out: A simple and reliable
>> method to distinguish between common fluid preservatives and estimate
>> alcohol concentration. Collection Forum 34(1): 11-31.
>>
>>
>> John E. Simmons
>>
>> US Fulbright Senior Scholar
>> Writer and Museum Consultant, Museologica
>> *and*
>> Research Associate, Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum & Art Gallery, Penn
>> State University
>>
>> *and*
>>
>> Investigador Asociado, Departamento de Ornitología, Museo de Historia
>> Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Mar 25, 2026 at 1:07 PM Dirk Neumann <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Hi Nate,
>>
>>
>>
>> 'skin started peeling' sounds odd and might point to density differences.
>> Can you tell if this is a water-based or alcohol-based preservative?
>>
>>
>>
>> Could also be an oil-based preservative with very high density. But guess
>> it is worth figuring out in what the specimen sits before starting to move
>> it into something else, if there is such a strong reaction like peeling
>> skin.
>>
>>
>>
>> Not much, but perhaps a useful thought.
>>
>>
>>
>> With best wishes
>>
>> Dirk
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Am 25.03.2026 um 17:57 schrieb Shoobs, Nate:
>>
>> Hey all,
>>
>> We have a display specimen of a Giant Australian earth worm (
>> *Megalascides*) with no data in our collection. It's in nice condition,
>> but the fluid it's preserved in is quite dark orange (presumeably colors
>> leeched from the animal) and thus it makes the specimen hard to see and
>> appreciate.
>>
>>
>>
>> I want to transfer it to fresh fluid so it's easier to examine, but I
>> can't figure out what it's preserved in. I initially thought it was in 10%
>> formalin, but test-dipping a portion of the animal in a fresh jar of 10%
>> formalin caused a pretty immediate visible reaction (skin started peeling).
>> The preservative is definitely not ethanol. It has an acrid odor like
>> formalin. I don't have Schiff's reagent on hand. The specimen was acquired
>> in the mid 60s early 70s, so I think it rules out many of the more obscure
>> Victorian fixatives.
>>
>>
>>
>> Any suggestions on a protocol to safely transfer it to a fixative that is
>> less opaque (fresh formalin or ethanol)? The primary purpose of the
>> transfer is for display and teaching, as the specimen is uncatalogued and
>> has no data other than the ID, so the only thing that matters in this case
>> is making sure it's not ruined aesthetically. (And of course, making sure I
>> can figure out what the old preservative is to safely dispose of it).
>>
>>
>>
>> -Nate
>>
>> -
>> *Nathaniel F. Shoobs, *Curator of Mollusks
>>
>> College of Arts & Sciences Dept. of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal
>> Biology, The Ohio State University
>> Museum of Biological Diversity
>>
>> 1315 Kinnear Rd, Columbus, OH 43212
>> 614-688-1342 (Office)
>> mbd.osu.edu
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>> Nhcoll-l mailing list
>>
>> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
>>
>> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
>>
>> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
>>
>> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
>>
>> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
>>
>> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
>>
>> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> ******
>>
>>
>>
>> *Dirk Neumann*
>>
>> Collection Manager, Hamburg
>>
>>
>>
>> Postal address:
>>
>> *Museum of Nature Hamburg*
>> Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
>>
>> of Biodiversity Change
>>
>> Dirk Neumann
>>
>> Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
>>
>> 20146 Hamburg
>> +49 40 238 317 – 628
>>
>> *d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>*
>>
>> www.leibniz-lib.de
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels
>> Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany
>>
>> Stiftung des öffentlichen Rechts;
>> Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian
>> Grüter (Kaufm. Geschäftsführer)
>> Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
>> Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels
>> Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany
>>
>> Stiftung des öffentlichen Rechts;
>> Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian
>> Grüter (Kaufm. Geschäftsführer)
>> Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
>> Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Nhcoll-l mailing list
>> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
>> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
>> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
>> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
>> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
>> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
>> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>>
>>
> --
>
> ******
>
>
>
> *Dirk Neumann*
>
> Collection Manager, Hamburg
>
>
>
> Postal address:
>
> *Museum of Nature Hamburg*
> Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
>
> of Biodiversity Change
>
> Dirk Neumann
>
> Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
>
> 20146 Hamburg
> +49 40 238 317 – 628
>
> *d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>*
>
> www.leibniz-lib.de
>
>
>
> --
> Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels
> Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany
>
> Stiftung des öffentlichen Rechts;
> Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian
> Grüter (Kaufm. Geschäftsführer)
> Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
> Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst
>
>
> --
> Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels
> Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany
>
> Stiftung des öffentlichen Rechts;
> Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian
> Grüter (Kaufm. Geschäftsführer)
> Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
> Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing list
> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260325/95395323/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image.png
Type: image/png
Size: 604767 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260325/95395323/attachment-0001.png>