<p>It depends on what you want to use them for.</p>

<p>If you might someday want to extract DNA from them, or do some other chemical analysis, then it's probably a bad idea.</p>

<p>If you only want to display them, and you like the way they look after acetone treatment, then it should be OK.</p>

<p>Test on some samples you don't care about first.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-13T13:33:44.007Z
Depends on the chemical analysis. Acetone will not matter for major oxides (eg calcium silicon etc). It will matter for organic material though, but I doubt that OP's fossil is suitable for organic material analysis, as these are exceptionally rare and require lots of expertise to handle, thus nulling the need the ask this question.
Gimelist
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-13T17:44:35.370Z
That's a good point. But we can't be sure what kind of analysis might be wanted later, so I say it's better not to do it unless you have decided that the fossils are mostly for display.
J Thomas
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-13T18:17:30.593Z
I'm an amateur collector so I'm not entirely sure of the mineral contents of the fossil themselves. I was planning on using PVA n h
Justin
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-13T18:20:11.897Z
Sorry phone cut out.. I was planning on using PVA in the field and then soaking in acetone later when I wanted to do cleanup, back home.
Justin
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-13T18:23:14.193Z
I'm also very open to using alternative glues. Just looking for something that hardens quickly and that I can remove later, without damaging the sample.
Justin
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-13T12:22:18.013Z
2018-09-13T12:22:18.013Z
J Thomas
<p>Can I clean fossil samples with acetone, or will this damage them?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-13T09:29:31.613Z
What are your fossils made of?
Gimelist
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-09-13T14:25:36.123Z
If the fossil has been worked on before it may have acetone based glues holding it together, in which case the fossils cab become much more fragile as you dissolve the glue, just something to watch out for.
John
<paleontology>
Cleaning fossil samples with acetone
Justin
# Cleaning fossil samples with acetone

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-09-13)

Can I clean fossil samples with acetone, or will this damage them?

**Tags:** paleontology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: What are your fossils made of?  
> **username_2**: If the fossil has been worked on before it may have acetone based glues holding it together, in which case the fossils cab become much more fragile as you dissolve the glue, just something to watch out for.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-09-13. Score: 1

It depends on what you want to use them for.

If you might someday want to extract DNA from them, or do some other chemical analysis, then it's probably a bad idea.

If you only want to display them, and you like the way they look after acetone treatment, then it should be OK.

Test on some samples you don't care about first.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Depends on the chemical analysis. Acetone will not matter for major oxides (eg calcium silicon etc). It will matter for organic material though, but I doubt that OP's fossil is suitable for organic material analysis, as these are exceptionally rare and require lots of expertise to handle, thus nulling the need the ask this question.  
> **username_3**: That's a good point. But we can't be sure what kind of analysis might be wanted later, so I say it's better not to do it unless you have decided that the fossils are mostly for display.  
> **username_0**: I'm an amateur collector so I'm not entirely sure of the mineral contents of the fossil themselves. I was planning on using PVA n h  
> **username_0**: Sorry phone cut out.. I was planning on using PVA in the field and then soaking in acetone later when I wanted to do cleanup, back home.  
> **username_0**: I'm also very open to using alternative glues. Just looking for something that hardens quickly and that I can remove later, without damaging the sample.  

---

