METHODE NOUVELLE DE PREPARATION DE COUPES MINCES DES TOURBES ET DES GYTTJA

Abstract

The proposed method for the preparation of peat and gyttja samples for thin sectioning reduces or eliminates perturbation risks caused by the usual peat or gyttja dehydration processes, dissolution of organic substances, percolation of the substitution liquids through samples, negative pressure, osmotic pressure, as well as delicate manipulations to extract crystalline embedding materials. The method includes sample fixation with a noncoagulant fixative, acrolein, mild dehydration with tetrahydrofuran (THF), and gradual impregnation with a non-crystalline embedding medium, celloidin. Thin sectioning with the sliding microtome produces 15–20 μm sections.