For more on what David mentions see Chapter 5, Archival and Curatorial
Practices in The Mollusks: A Guide to their Study, Collection, and
Preservation. 2006. Sturm, Pearce, Valdes eds. Universal Publishers.


> Both wood (especially oak, but wood in general) and paper (especially
> lower-quality cardboard) can produce acidic fumes that dissolve shells.
> If
> you are dealing with specimens that need to be preserved long-term (e.g.,
> for a museum), then it's important to get archival-quality material.  This
> would include acid-free paper for labels, acid-free cardboard for boxes,
> plastic that won't crumble or melt into icky goo or give off harmful
> fumes,
> etc.  It's expensive, but safer if you can afford it.
>
> Making sure that there's good air circulation and not too much humidity
> will help keep fumes from building up and causing problems, if you are
> dealing with non-archival material.  Salt on marine shells can also be a
> problem - it's a good idea to rinse shells in fresh water and dry them
> before storage.
>
>
> On Thu, Apr 3, 2014 at 9:12 PM, Maureen Keefe
> <[log in to unmask]>wrote:
>

> --
> Dr. David Campbell
> Assistant Professor, Geology
> Department of Natural Sciences
> Box 7270
> Gardner-Webb University
> Boiling Springs NC 28017
>


Regards,
Charlie
.................................................
Charlie Sturm

Treasurer
American Malacological Society

Research Associate - Section of Mollusks
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Associate Professor - Family Medicine
Fellow-American Academy of Family Practice
Fellow-Academy of Wilderness Medicine

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