Australia's Science Forum

Serrata sell 1kg sulfur roll (1038974) for $58.80
I've just ordered some.
Carol

Livingstone sell heavy duty black rubber pumps, PF3T @ $10.40.
Science Supply Australia, LW3867-01 @ $12.50.

Hi Robyn, We use rimless test tubes and have had no problems. Try Serrata Rimless Borosilicate: 1016142 13x100mm pk 100 @ $15.00 1007127 16x150mm pk 100 @ $49.00 1007118 25x150mm pk 100 @ $55.00 Carol

Hi Sassi. My Benedict's Solution has been stable for at least 2 years - but it is a commercial solution, not one I made myself. This is my recipe for Biuret : Add, with stirring, 300mL of 10% (w/v) NaOH to 500mL of a solution containing 0.3% CuSO 4 5H 2 O and 1.2% sodium potassium tartrate, then dil...

I've just bought 2x10g vials from Simply Junket for $13. They arrived within a week of ordering. :) Their blurb says that 10g is equivalent to 17 tablets, which is good because our brand new biology teacher (fresh off the conveyor belt this year) used up our stock of 8 tablets with one class. #-o He...

I've just searched the web for uranyl nitrate and found a WA forum from 2005 discussing it. The bottom line was that it was banned in all schools in WA several years ago - being water soluble it poses a significant environmental hazard. I'd seal it up and put it aside until you have a chemical pick-...

This is from the Southern Biology catalogue:
Amylase (clarase): may contain reducing sugars.
Amylase (diastase): reducing sugars not detectable in 1% solution.

My biology teacher says you need diastase for artificial saliva pracs.

Hope this helps.
Carol

Year 12 is hosting a lunch in TAS for the SASS staff, so I'm off to be appreciated
I've mentioned in the staffroom that it's time to appreciate me, but they just laughed.

Carol

I haven't been able to access Chemwatch this week either. The error message says something about the internal server.
I can't get onto chemtalk directly either - I had to go in through history - but I can access all the other internet sites.

Carol

I think you need to use Canada Balsam. It is used as lenses cement and for mounting in microscopy, according to Chemwatch.
Carol

I'll certainly let you know the outcome when it's decided. My HT is on the rampage with fire in her belly over this issue - I can't imagine her giving an inch. She has downloaded the guidelines from the Dept website and has issued it as a memo to the whole school so that everyone is aware of what is...

I had a similar experience with evaporating basins from Q-Stores earlier this year. 4 out of 10 in the box were broken into pieces. In order for them to credit us this breakage I had to send back the broken pieces. I guess they don't trust us. And I, too, have a gremlin in the ordering process which...

I wouldn't be without my lab coat - I wear it all the time. My HT wears hers when she is on class. However, none of the other teachers in my staffroom ever wear one. This has resulted in some confusion amongst students and staff as to who is the HT and who is the lab assistant - because we are the o...

The HSIE and history faculties at my school are combining and are looking for extra space to store their textbooks etc. Because the Chem Store is near their staffroom/tearoom/storeroom (three large rooms) they have proposed that I throw out half of the chemicals and glassware stored in there to allo...

Hi Alice, We bought a skeleton from ISSCO four years ago. Just bones, no muscle or nerve attachments. It cost $400. The base is so heavy and hard to move (even though its on wheels) that it lives permanently in the upstairs lab. We have an older skeleton that is much easier to maneuver so it gets mo...

I boil 5g of litmus in a litre of water, let it stand, then filter it. The litmus granules don't really dissolve, but the water turns a deep blue - which is what you want. I make up bromothymol blue 0.4g per liter of 20% ethanol (metho). These recipes come from the "Manual for School Assistants...

Thank you, everyone.
I managed to get some frozen bull eyes this morning from South Coast Wholesale Meats at Gwynneville.

Carol

One of the butchers I contacted told me to ring his abattoir, and ask them to deliver the eyes to his shop. The abattoir is not local (going on the phone number) so I can't (won't) be picking them up. So far, though, I haven't been able to reach them on the phone. I guess if I can't get them, I can'...

Does anyone in the Illawarra know of a supplier of eyes for dissection?
I have rung a number of local butchers but had no success.
The biology teacher wrote the order in my book yesterday afternoon and wants them for Monday. No pressure, of course!

Carol

I also use metho.

Carol