Fossil coating, non-acetone?

[aviform]

Is there a sealant or coating you can use to protect a fossil that doesn't involve using acetone? The fossil is a partial oviraptor egg. I want to be careful with it, but I also want to avoid anything that generates toxic fumes, as I live in a small space with a cat.

[oilshale]

Paraloid b72 is soluble in ethyl acetate.
While acetone (which also occurs naturally in small quantities in the body) is only poorly metabolized / broken down in the body, ethyl acetate is readily converted to acetic acid and alcohol in the body, which is further broken down in the body. 
Ethyl acetate is widely available in nature and is found in many fruits and is much better tolerated than acetone. In most nail polish removers, acetone has therefore been replaced by ethyl acetate (at least in Europe).

 

Edited April 27 by oilshale

[SPrice]

One option is Elmer's type white glue, mixed 50/50 with water and brushed onto the fossil. It does have its downsides as it doesn't age as well as Paraloid. But no toxic fumes.

I have used both. 

[hadrosauridae]

Acetone isnt harmful unless you plan on drinking large amounts or pouring into your eyes or other such nonsense.  The primary hazard is mild skin irritation.  ITs perfectly fine to use without worry.  If you have to use something else, use denatured alcohol.

[hadrosauridae]

1 minute ago, SPrice said:

One option is Elmer's type white glue, mixed 50/50 with water and brushed onto the fossil. It does have its downsides as it doesn't age as well as Paraloid. But no toxic fumes.

I have used both. 

its also non reversible, so once you apply it, your stuck whether you like the result or not.  "elmers" type of white glue was abandoned by museums and universities for fossil prep a long time ago.

[SPrice]

35 minutes ago, hadrosauridae said:

its also non reversible, so once you apply it, your stuck whether you like the result or not.  "elmers" type of white glue was abandoned by museums and universities for fossil prep a long time ago.

Yes, I know it's non reversible and to clarify that I've used both Paraloid and white glue...the white glue water mixture was used ONCE to test it on a very flaky Green River Formation poorly preserved fish fossil.  Otherwise I only use Paraloid. 

 

I was just tossing out  to the OP a much less fume creating option. 

 

If I had a cat and a partial Oviraptor egg needing a protective sealant, I would leave the cat in the living space and take the fossil egg and Paraloid outside somewhere to coat it.  Then let it evaporate and dry thoroughly before bringing it back indoors where the cat is.  Win-win!

Edited April 27 by SPrice

[oilshale]

53 minutes ago, hadrosauridae said:

Acetone isnt harmful unless you plan on drinking large amounts or pouring into your eyes or other such nonsense.  The primary hazard is mild skin irritation.  ITs perfectly fine to use without worry.  If you have to use something else, use denatured alcohol.

Denaturated alcohol is cheap but contains small amounts of pyridine and methanol.

[hadrosauridae]

2 hours ago, oilshale said:

Denaturated alcohol is cheap but contains small amounts of pyridine and methanol.

 

that doesnt exclude it from being used with Paraloid.  Neither of those, in the quantities included affect Paraloid solution.  And again, as long you arent trying to drink the stuff, its not going to be harmful.

[jpc]

5 hours ago, SPrice said:

One option is Elmer's type white glue, mixed 50/50 with water and brushed onto the fossil. It does have its downsides as it doesn't age as well as Paraloid. But no toxic fumes.

I have used both. 

Elmer's will turn yellow and brittle over the years.

 

Is there an exhaust fan in your bathroom?  Do the paraloid thing in the bathroom with the fan on and keep the cat out for an hour.  

Edited April 27 by jpc