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Preparing random distributions of diatom valves on microscope slides
Author(s) -
McBride T. Patrick
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 197
eISSN - 1939-5590
pISSN - 0024-3590
DOI - 10.4319/lo.1988.33.6part2.1627
Subject(s) - microscope , slip (aerodynamics) , materials science , optical microscope , diatom , aqueous suspension , population , microscope slide , microscopy , mineralogy , composite material , optics , geology , aqueous solution , chemistry , scanning electron microscope , physics , oceanography , demography , sociology , thermodynamics
Diatom cells are mounted on a microscope slide in a statistically random distribution for subsequent population counting. The cells are allowed to settle from aqueous suspension onto a cover slip suspended in a plastic well. By placing the well in a desiccator, the water is evaporated off with minimal disturbance to the layer of settled valves, and most of the residual salts are left in the base of the well after the water level drops below the cover slip surface. When dry the cover slip is mounted on a microscope slide using a medium of high refractive index.