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Ramos Bezerra, A. M., Celeste, H., & Soeiro, A. (2024). The use of multi-enzymatic detergent for cleaning flesh from bones of small mammals preserved in fluid and frozen. Boletín Científico. Centro De Museos, 28(2), 87–101. https://doi.org/10.17151/bccm.2024.28.2.5
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Authors
Alexandra Maria Ramos Bezerra
Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi
Abstract
The scientific collections of Mammals mainly consist of preserved specimens in spirit or taxidermized skins and skeletons. Cleaning bones is one of the most important steps in preserving the dried osteological material. Necrophagous insects are predominantly used to clean delicate bones such as skulls of small mammals but, maintaining the colonies of these insects can be challenging. In order to find an alternative and simple approach to safely clean small mammal bones, multi-enzyme detergent was tested. Although this method is known for its application in large mammals and forensic studies, it has never been attempted on small mammals in scientific collections. Different concentrations of a multi-enzymatic detergent to deflesh small mammal skulls were tested. After removing excess flesh, the skulls were placed separately in containers filled with the solution up to three times the volume of the skull. They remained immersed for 2.5 to 24 hours at 24°C–37°C. The final cleaning was done using a soft toothbrush and tweezers under a stereoscope. The results were satisfactory, especially with the highest concentration, although all other concentrations were effective in degradation of soft tissue, even in formalin-preserved specimens, apparently without damaging bone structures. To prevent damage to the skulls, it is recommended to check them hourly until the tissue has been completely removed.
References
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Tiemeier, O.W. (1939). The dermestid methods of cleaning skeletons. The University of Kansas, Science Bulletin, 26, 377–383. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/partpdf/38656
Timm, R.M., McLaren, S.B. y Genoways, H.H. (2020). Innovation that changed Mammalogy: dermestid beetles-the better way to clean skulls. Journal of Mammalogy, 101, 923–925. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyaa067
Uhre, M.L., Eriksen, A.M., Simonsen, K.P., Rasmussen, A.R. Hjort, B.B. y Lynnerup, N. (2015). Enzymatic maceration of bone: a gentler technique than boiling. Medicine, Science, and the Law, 55, 90–96. https://doi.org/10.1177/0025802414532246
Valls, C., Pujadas, G., Garcia-Vallve, S. y Mulero, M. (2011). Characterization of the protease activity of detergents: laboratory practicals for studying the protease profile and activity of various commercial detergents. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 39, 280–290. https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.20488
Abreu-Júnior, E.F., Pavan, S.E., Tsuchiya, M.T.N., Wilson, D.E., Percequillo, A.R. y Maldonado, J.E. (2020). Museomics of tree squirrels: a dense taxon sampling of mitogenomes reveals hidden diversity, phenotypic convergence, and the need of a taxonomic overhaul. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 20, 77. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12862-020-01639-y
Aggarwal, N., Gupta, M., Goyal, P.K. y Kaur, J. (2016). An alternative approach to bone cleaning methods for anatomical purposes. International Journal of Anatomy and Research, 4(2) 2216–2221. https://doi.org/10.16965/ijar.2016.181
Avila-Pires, F.D. (2011). Mudanças nas práticas de coleta e estudos de mamíferos a partir do século XIII. Filosofia e História da Biologia, 6, 211–226. https://www.abfhib.org/FHB/FHB-06-2/FHB-6-2-03-Fernando-Dias-de-Avila-Pires.pdf
Barquez R.M., Díaz, M.M., Berrizbeitia, M.F.L. y Mollerach, M.I. (2021). Colección de Mamíferos Lillo: un manual de procedimientos para la preparación y conservación de mamíferos y anexos. Publicaciones Especiales PDBA N° 6, Tucumán, Argentina. http://hdl.handle.net/11336/156758
Bezerra, A.M.R. (2012) [2013]. Coleções Científicas de Mamíferos. I - Brasil. Boletim da Sociedade Brasileira de Mastozoologia, 65, 19–25. Fernándes-Jalvo, Y. y Monfort, M.D.M. (2008). Experimental taphonomy in museums: preparation protocols for skeletons and fossil vertebrates under the scanning electron microscopy. Geobios, 41,157–181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geobios.2006.06.006
Gomes, L.B. y Mendes-Oliveira, A.C. (2015). Montagem e manutenção de colônias de besouros do gênero Dermestes (Coleoptera, Dermestidae) Linnaeus, 1758 para preparação de esqueletos usados em coleções biológicas. Boletim da Sociedade Brasileira de Mastozoologia, 73, 37-41.
Hede, D.P. (2020). A beginner’s guide to enzymes in detergents. Household Care, Novozymes. Bagsværd, Denmark. https://biosolutions. ovozymes.com/en/dish/insights/article/beginners-guide-enzymes-detergents. Accessed 21 June 2023.
Husch, C., Berner, M., Goldammer, H. y Lichtscheidl-Schultz, I. (2021). Technical note: a novel method for gentle and non-destructive removal of flesh from bones. Forensic Science International, 323, 110778. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.110778
Kelldrin (21 June 2020). Poderoso Detergente Multienzimático. https://kelldrin.com.br/produto/poderoso-detergente-multienzimatico/Leeper, B.J. (2015). Evaluation of current methods of soft tissue removal from bone. Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/26725/1/Leeper_ETD_2015_2.pdf. Accessed 21 June 2023.
Mairs, S., Swift, B. y Rutty, G.N. (2004). Detergent: an alternative approach to traditional bone cleaning methods for forensic practice. The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, 25, 276–284. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.paf.0000147320.70639.41.
Mandrioli, M. (2016). MUSEomica: quando la genomica entra in museo. Quaderni del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Ferrara, 4, 53–70. https://storianaturale.comune.fe.it/modules/core/lib/d.php?c=pqEP3
Moraes Neto, C.R, Lazar, A. y Pessôa, L.M. (2015). Taxidermia de pequenos mamíferos não voadores previamente preservados em meio líquido. Boletim da Sociedade Brasileira de Mastozoologia, 73, 92–94.
Muñoz-Saba, Y., Sánchez-Nivicela, J.C., Sierra-Durán, C.M., Vieda-Ortega, J.C., Amat-García, G., Munoz, R., Casallas-Pabón, D. y Calvo-Roa, N. (2020). Cleaning osteological specimens with beetles of the genus Dermestes Linnaeus, 1758 (Coleoptera, Dermestidae). Journal of Natural Science Collections, 7, 72–82. http://www.natsca.org/article/2584
Searfoss, G. (1995). Skulls and Bones: a guide to skeletal structures and behavior of North American mammals. Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, USA.
Silverman, E.S. (2018). The effects of common methods of soft tissue removal on skeletal remains: a comparative analysis. Master’s Thesis, University
of Montana, Missoula, USA. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=12240&context=etd Accessed on 12 May 2023.
Simonsen, K.P., Rasmussen, A.R., Mathisen, P., Petersen H. y Borup, F. (2011). A fast preparation of skeletal materials using enzyme maceration. Journal of Forensic Science, 56(2), 480–484. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1556-4029.2010.01668.x
Tiemeier, O.W. (1939). The dermestid methods of cleaning skeletons. The University of Kansas, Science Bulletin, 26, 377–383. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/partpdf/38656
Timm, R.M., McLaren, S.B. y Genoways, H.H. (2020). Innovation that changed Mammalogy: dermestid beetles-the better way to clean skulls. Journal of Mammalogy, 101, 923–925. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyaa067
Uhre, M.L., Eriksen, A.M., Simonsen, K.P., Rasmussen, A.R. Hjort, B.B. y Lynnerup, N. (2015). Enzymatic maceration of bone: a gentler technique than boiling. Medicine, Science, and the Law, 55, 90–96. https://doi.org/10.1177/0025802414532246
Valls, C., Pujadas, G., Garcia-Vallve, S. y Mulero, M. (2011). Characterization of the protease activity of detergents: laboratory practicals for studying the protease profile and activity of various commercial detergents. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 39, 280–290. https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.20488
