Glycerin as a mounting medium

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Maryfox
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Glycerin as a mounting medium

#1 Post by Maryfox » Thu Feb 14, 2019 5:28 pm

I'm looking at Beginner Microscope Experiments on microscopemaster.com For the experiment looking at leaf structure, it call for glycerin as a mounting medium. Why? When is this the correct choice?

photomicro
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Re: Glycerin as a mounting medium

#2 Post by photomicro » Thu Feb 14, 2019 7:59 pm

Maryfox wrote:I'm looking at Beginner Microscope Experiments on microscopemaster.com For the experiment looking at leaf structure, it call for glycerin as a mounting medium. Why? When is this the correct choice?
Glycerine (UK spelling) , also referred to as glycerol, is used as a temporary mountant, in that it won't dry out very quickly, and (pure) has a refractive index similar to the glass slide.

Glycerine/glycerol jelly is a permanent mountant, flows when warm and sets. It is miscible with water, and very easy to use.

Hope this helps.

Mike

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Maryfox
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Re: Glycerin as a mounting medium

#3 Post by Maryfox » Thu Feb 14, 2019 8:33 pm

Thanks, Mike. You've added to my meager knowledge.

TomB
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Re: Glycerin as a mounting medium

#4 Post by TomB » Sun Feb 17, 2019 7:24 pm

Further to other information it helps if you warm all the equipment you use slides, coverglasses, dropping rods when making slides with glycerine jelly it reduces the risk of air bubbles. If you add a drop of formalin to the underside of the coverslip before placing it on the glycerine jelly it stops the jelly melting again when warmed. If you want to make the slide permanent it should be ringed. Lots of info out there to help. Good luck!

MichaelG.
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Re: Glycerin as a mounting medium

#5 Post by MichaelG. » Sun Feb 17, 2019 8:51 pm

Serendipity !!
This reissue of a paper by Walter Dioni has appeared on micscape:
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/art ... sited.html

MichaelG.
Too many 'projects'

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Maryfox
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Re: Glycerin as a mounting medium

#6 Post by Maryfox » Sun Feb 17, 2019 9:37 pm

Thanks, Michael Great info there.

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