>Dear All,
>would pure Glycerine oil be a good preservative for empty (under 2mm)
>microshells? Glycerine is water soluble.
>Would modern synthetic oils have any long term chemical effects on
>shells, since
>they seem to have a shelf life.
>I tried silicon spray on some shells, but it seems to perish after a while.
>--
>Constantine Mifsud,
>4, Shepherds' Str.,
>Rabat RBT 02,
>MALTA.
>e-mail: [log in to unmask]

Use liquid paraffin. Inert, colorless, scentless, doesn't go off.
Glycerine (or I guess correctly glycerol after all) IS hdgroscopic,
and this is NOT good for shells in glass tubes, as moisture may
accelerate glass disease. I bet commercial-grade glycerol has a
goodly water content...

But why oil micros at all? If you are worried about glass disease,
put the shells in gelatine capsules and THEN into a vial. Not so
user-friendly, especially for viewing, but...

Just be careful when opening gelcaps containing shells... they often
stick, and you can crush them and the shells within or elas have the
thing pop open, scattering the shells across the carpet.
--
Andrew Grebneff
165 Evans St, Dunedin 9001, New Zealand
<[log in to unmask]>
Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut