During the 8th International Symposium on the Tardigrada - (held this 
summer in Denmark), there was a round table discussion on techniques. 
 This opened some interesting questions on the mountants we use, what 
we call them and what they contain.  I thought it would be a good 
discussion point for the list.

Below I give details of the mounting media I use, how to make it and 
what its like to use.  

What do other researchers use?

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Heinz Mounting Media (Heinz PVA)
10g Poly Vinyl Alcohol (I use low molecular weight PVA) **
40ml Distilled water
10ml Glycerol
50ml phenol/distilled water solution (1.5%) **
75g chloral hydrate **
35ml latic acid **

 ** very nasty substance read safety instructions from supplier

Method: 
1) Add PVA powder to water (in fume cupboard), stirring 
continuously, the mixture being heated in a water bath to just below 
boiling.  
2) Add latic acid and stir for a few minutes. Then allow to cool 
until luke-warm.
3) Dissolve Chloral hydrate into the phenol. Add to PVA/water/latic 
acid solution. 
4) Stir thoroughly and suction filter.  Store in brown bottle.

My last stock bottle lasted me about 5 years.  Some of the chemicals
are pretty nasty and there is a lot of chloral hydrate in this
preparation.  Researchers in the USA will find that chloral hydrate
is a restricted substance - in order to keep it you will need a
licence which isn't cheap. 

Specimens relax and clear very well - possibly to well. Best 
preparation results and longevity of slides are attained by removing 
almost all of the water surrounding a specimen before adding a drop 
of mountant. The slides become semi-hard in about 12 hours, but not 
completely hard for a few days. Care should be taken when using oil 
techniques and cleaning the coverslips during the first month.  

Overall I have found it a good mountant to use, but I am thinking of 
adding iodine and potassium iodine, in a similar fashion to some of 
the "hoyer's" mountant in circulation.

Nigel Marley
Mr Nigel Marley
Senior Administrator (Computing) - Biol Sci/Faculty,
Department of Biological Sciences,
University of Plymouth,
Drake Circus,
Plymouth, Devon,
United Kingdom.

Tel: (0)1752 232900
Fax: (0)1752 232970
E-mail: [log in to unmask] 


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