I believe it was Bill Lyons whose collection at the DNR Lab in St.
Petersburg was damaged by a denaturant. What it was, I have no idea.
This may vary from state to state, but in Florida, 153 proof grain alcohol
is available in the liquor stores. Nothing stronger. It runs about $13. for
750 mL.
 
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> From: Aydin Orstan <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Fw: Preserving Mollusks (the animal)
> Date: Monday, March 23, 1998 1:06 PM
>
> Marlo,
>
> I am not convinced that denatured ethanol sold in drug stores contains
> anything that "can also eat up the calcium carbonate in the shell".
According
> to the Merck Index, the most common denaturants, either alone or in
> combination, added to ethanol are: methanol, camphor, amyl alcohol,
gasoline,
> isopropanol, terpineol, benzene, castor oil, acetone, nicotine, aniline
dyes,
> ether, cadmium iodide, pyridine bases, sulfuric acid, kerosene, diethyl
> phthalate. The only thing on this list that would dissolve CaCO3 is
sulfuric
> acid, but you wouldn't find that in ethanol sold in drug stores.
>
> In any case, I am not sure where someone who does not work in a research
lab
> could get undenatured ethanol (95%) from. Do they sell it in liquor
stores?
>
> A.