JAIC 1995, Volume 34, Number 2, Article 2 (pp. 107 to 112)

EFFECT OF “FREEZING” TREATMENTS ON THE HYDROTHERMAL STABILITY OF COLLAGEN

STEPHEN L. WILLIAMS, SARAH R. BEYER, & SAMINA KHAN

ABSTRACT—In museum settings, subjecting objects to temperatures below 0�C has become an acceptable treatment for controlling pests, stabilizing water-saturated materials, and preserving organismal materials. Questions regarding the effect of “freezing” on collagen stability prompted an investigation of the temperatures at which collagen shrinks using microscopic analysis. Results indicate that both desiccation and freezing of mammal skin tissue tend to reduce shrinkage temperature, and that freezing for pest control and stabilization of water-saturated skin material has minimal initial effect on shrinkage temperature. Fresh skin material that is frozen, thawed, and dried showed significantly lower shrinkage temperatures, compared to other groups tested.

Article Sections:

1. INTRODUCTION
2. METHOD AND MATERIALS
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4. CONCLUSIONS
a: Materials , References , Author Information

Entire Article