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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? ****************************************************************** 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] %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%