Diaphonisation is a biological preservation technique used to study the development of skeletal and cartilaginous anatomy in situ. Using a combination of chemicals and enzymes, the muscle tissue, organs and skin are removed of all colour and rendered transparent, while the calcified bone and cartilage are selectively stained for differentiation. The result is a beautiful, technicoloured 3D X-ray specimen, that retains all of the natural elasticity it would have had in life.ion text goes here

The specimen will appear transparent as the cleared tissue and the glycerine in which they are stored share the same light refractive index. This means that as light passes through the glass, glycerine, and the specimen, that the light is not bent or scattered – giving the appearance of transparency.

Once the staining is complete and the specimen has been cleared, they are rinsed of chemicals and neutralised, and are then transferred into a solution of glycerine – with a dash of thymol as a preservative agent. Thymol is the main component of thyme (the herb) essential oil, and glycerine is used in foods and many skin creams. The biggest hazard the specimens might pose is the glass that contains them should it be broken. So yes, long story short, it’s absolutely safe!

If your cat happens to push your specimen off the table (it’s always the cat!), no need to worry. Carefully pick up the specimen, remove any glass or dirt from it, and pop it into a ziplock bag or lidded container. If needed, give it a quick rinse under the tap to remove fine dust or debris first. Once in a sealed container though, it’s all good until you can find a replacement jar/container. You can contact us here to organise a replacement, then all you’ll need to do is pop it back in!
Cleaning up the glycerine after the spill as soon as you can is important too. As glycerine is a humectant, it will absorb moisture from the air – so a small puddle will become a large one reasonably quickly if it is humid. A good idea is to wipe up as much as possible as quick as you can, then mop/sponge off the area 2-3 times to ensure its all gone.

It’s totally ok and normal for specimens to leak sometimes. Usually this can happen after a period of transit or rapid temperature change. Glycerine is a funny liquid, in that it will expand and contract with temperature changes. It will also draw moisture out of the air quite readily - so a single drop of glycerine can become a puddle fairly quickly in a humid environment. While the jars they are stored in are watertight, sometimes the increase in pressure can force a tiny bit of glycerine out through the seal under the lid. While this can be annoying, the alternative sometimes is the glass breaking.

In any case, if a specimen is leaking, the best thing to do is rinse the jar under running water for a few seconds, take off the lid, give the lid a good rinse under the tap, and wipe everything dry with a tissue - then screw the lid back on nice and tight.

If after this the specimen does still leak a little, you can repeat the process again but this time also add 2 layers of clingfilm over the top of the glass before screwing the lid back on. It may be the case that the little foam seal under the cap may have been damaged - but a layer or two of clingwrap should fix it up.