Sending Samples
Chain of Custody Form
Please include a chain of custody form. Samples received will be checked against the chain of custody form, signed, and faxed back.
Ship To
Canadian Rivers Institute
Attn: Michelle Gray
Benthic Macroinvertebrate Lab &
Biology Department
University of New Brunswick
10 Bailey Drive
Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3
PH: 506-453-4770 FX: 506-453-3583
Sample Containers
Sample containers should be plastic with a wide mouth. Prior to sending, ensure that containers and tightly sealed and packed securely to prevent leakage. Samples should have two labels, one for the inside and outside. Outside labels should be covered with clear packing tape to prevent damage and fading. Marker ink will fade if it comes into contact with ethanol. Often, a sample will require multiple containers. This needs to be indicated on both the chain of custody form and on each container.
Preservative
Samples are typically fixed with formalin in the field and later transferred to 70-80% ethanol for long-term storage (preservation). If ethanol is used in the field in place of formalin, samples should be re-preserved within 3 days as much of the ethanol is absorbed by the debris in the sample. 95% ethanol should be used during this initial preservation and the ratio of preservative to sample should be 1:1 (each sample bottle should be no more than half full prior to adding the ethanol).
If samples are not re-preserved within 3 days, many of the benthic invertebrates can begin to degrade, severely impacting the ability to identify them. It is also recommended that larger rocks are cleaned off and removed from the sample as they can crush the organisms during transfer.
Zooplankton samples are stored in either ethanol (30-40%) or sugared, buffered formalin (10-14%). It is not necessary to re-preserve zooplankton samples. It is essential that the formalin is buffered to prevent the zooplankton from degrading. Formalin is acidic (pH 3 to 4.6) and tends to break down the calcareous outer shell of zooplankton. Therefore, it is best to buffer it to pH 7.0 Sugar is often added to prevent the zooplankton from dropping their eggs which may be important if egg counts are required.
Recipe for 1 litre 10% buffered formalin (Nagorsen and Peterson, 1980; Munson 2000).
1) 100 ml formalin (38-40 % formaldehyde)
2) 900 ml distilled water
3) Add buffer-3 options
- 4 g of acid or monobasic sodium phosphate monohydrate (NAH2PO4H2O)
6.5 g of dibasic sodium phosphate anhydrate (NA2HPO4)
This dry mixture can be prepared in advance and carried into the field.
- 4.5 gm sodium phosphate (monobasic)
3.6 g sodium hydroxide
- 1/4 of a teaspoon of borax powder or household ammonia per litre
Recommended Guides
Nagorsen, D. W.; Peterson, R. L., 1980: Mammal collectors´ manual. A guide for collecting, documenting, and preparing mammal specimens for scientific research. Belonging to the unnumbered series: Life Sciences Miscellaneous Publications. Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto. ISBN: 0-88854-255-0 pa
Munson, L., 2000: Necropsy procedures for wild animals. With input from: W. B. Karesh, M. F. McEntee, L. J. Lowenstine, M. E. Roelke-Parker, E. Williams and M. H. Woodford; Illustrations by D. Haines). Pp. 203-224 in: Conservation research in the African rain forests: a technical handbook. White, Lee; Edwards, Anne (eds.), Wildlife Conservation Society, New York. ISBN: 0-9632064-4-3
