Glycerol would prevent the periostracum from drying. Glycerol is also water
soluble, so it can be washed off if necessary. However, glycerol absorbs
water from the air & may cause the periostracum to get loose. But then
again, maybe not.

Aydin
snailstales.blogspot.com


On Fri, 18 Nov 2005 18:07:55 -0500, Sarah Longrigg <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

>I recently found some Astarte/Tridonta (mostly A. elliptica) shells which
>are almost certainly subfossil dating from the last ice age, but in almost
>perfect condition, complete with periostracum. I allowed the first one I
>found (unfortunately the only A. borealis) to dry out, and the periostracum
>flaked off immediately, as soon as the shell was dry. I have kept the
>subsequent finds in the clay and brackish water in which I found them, and
>would like to know the best way of preserving these, bearing in mind that
>they are probably subfossil and I particularly want to preserve the
>periostracum.
...
>
>The shells have somehow been preserved buried in clay for thousands of
>years, and possibly more recently in brackish water, and I am wondering if
>there is some way of replicating this natural method of preservation for at
>least a short period of time. Would keeping the shells immersed in saline
>solution (in glass or plastic tubes so they could still be seen) preserve
>the periostracum?
>
>Sarah Longrigg

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