Australia's Science Forum

Due to mistakingly taking the Physics teachers advice I left the overhydrated zinc nitrate in a dessicator overnight, now it's a hard lump. I need to make a 0.1M soln and it'll cost heaps to get new lot couriered out to gippsland. any ideas? Have made dodgey one of unknown molarity.mtg

Re banned chemicals, is there a vic deecd list? I haven't been able to find one. I didn't see toluene on the NSW list, but I'll take more care with the white phosphorus demos (if the dare devil teachers will listen) and maybe piff the potassium chlorate, altho' I thought we still used it.mtg

Thanks for the ideas.Some of the specimens are dept. supplied dissections and are over 40 years old. Still useable but if drained and refilled will possibly turn to soup!Not gonna do it have weak stomach. Wonder what happens when you add suggested solutions to existing formaldehyde? mtg

OOOPS repeating myself. Just checked and this is what I actually put up after the last influx of snake heads and one dusky antechinus. "Our lab doesnt accept endangered species." mtg

Thanks Labbie. Love this forum. Re Specimens, perhaps 'died of natural causes" would be a better disclaimer. And how do others top up their formaldehyde/formalin specimens? I got rid of these chemicals ages ago due to carcinogenic properties.mtg

Technically you need to seek permission from the relevant authority to accept endangered species. May encourage kids kill snakes etc for displays. I do but display a disclaimer in the specimen cupboard that it died of natural causes! mtg