Hi, I have just a couple of observations - many of my skeletons still
contain some oil residues, sometimes quite a lot, use of bones that
might look 'clean' outside might not give a good result, also is 72
hours enough to naturally air dry a big bone completely?
On 18/11/2009 17:15, Teresa Steele wrote:
> Thought that there might be more people on this list-serve who can help than the
> mammalogy list-serve...
>
> Dear Mammal-L, specifically folks with mammal collections:
>
> Have any of you loaned bone elements for bone density studies? I have an interesting
> request for some mammal bones, and the researchers would like to use the following
> protocol:
>
> "Element density will then be calculated by water immersion. Each element will be
> soaked in water until saturated (this has been taking less than 72 hours for the specimens
> we have used to date). Then the element is weighed whilst submerged, suspended in a
> sling or on a platform on a balance accurate to
> 0.0001g. The specimens are then left for a further 72 hours to air dry at 72F placed on
> paper towel. After this, the specimens are weighed again, this time in air. Comparison
> between the two weights and the weight of the measuring apparatus allows for the
> accurate calculation of bone density. This method has provided accurate, repeatable
> density measurements for the 10 taxa that have been measured so far. No other
> methodology is able to measure bone density of such small elements with the required
> degree of accuracy."
>
> My concern is that water immersion of the bone may cause irreparable damage (although
> I think the study is an interesting one and worthy of a loan). Please reply directly to me
> ([log in to unmask]) if any of you has had experience with this type of methodology and/or
> might have some insight as to what to expect in terms of bone quality after an extended
> water immersion.
> Many thanks,
> Jessica
>
> -- Jessica E. Light
> Assistant Professor and Curator of Mammals
> Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences
> Texas Cooperative Wildlife Collection
> Texas A&M University
> 210 Nagle Hall, 2258 TAMUS (mailing)
> 320A Heep Laboratory Building (office)
> College Station, TX 77843
> Phone: 979-458-4357
> Fax: 979-845-4096
> email: [log in to unmask]
> http://wfsc.tamu.edu/lightlab
>
>
--
SH-D ArchaeoZoology
http://www.shd-archzoo.co.uk
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