It seems to me that, if you want to do C-14 work in the future, that you
would be best off reserving a sample and *NOT* treating it with
*ANYTHING* rather than trying to find the perfect consolidant that will
leave no contamination. The people I know who are working with amino acid
traces in dino bones view any glue, consolidant, coating, sweaty human
handprint, or prolonged exposure as a source of contamination. As one
colleague phrased it, "We don't touch these things with WATER, let alone
anything else." A lot of old field processes were based on the assumption
that collecting was done for the purpose of exhibition and that the
morphology of the bone was its only scientifically important feature. Now
that there is increasing emphasis on the biogeochemical nature of these
specimens as well, the actual shape may be of secondary importance. I
don't have the perfect solution, other than to suggest that a sample be
left untreated for C-14 or other such tests. Comments?
 
Sally Shelton
Collections Conservation Specialist
San Diego Natural History Museum