Use of UV-curable acrylates gels as mounting media for palynological samples

Abstract

UV-curable acrylates are used as an easy, economic and rapid mounting media to mount palynological samples. The aqueous palynological residue is dehydrated with ethanol in order to be set in UV-curable acrylates such as Trabasil ® NR2 and Acrysoft ® urethane acrylates. These mounting medias have advantages over other ones: specimens remain in fixed position, and/or they are not attacked by any organism or modified by any environmental conditions such as humidity and heat. In addition refraction index is similar to that of sporopollenin and glass which provides an excellent interfase to discern fine morphological features.