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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Oldhoopster, post: 7996772, member: 84179&quot;]I agree that the Beilstein test can be a bit overkill, but if you follow the procedure, you should have no issue with verdigris or cross contamination.</p><p><br /></p><p>The following procedure list 4 methods to do the test, although all are similar.&nbsp; Interestingly, it does mention the test can be used to evaluate coin/currency storage products and even has a table of the composition of some products (although I am not familiar with any of those listed)</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/conservation-preservation-publications/canadian-conservation-institute-notes/beilstein-test-organic-polymeric-materials.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/conservation-preservation-publications/canadian-conservation-institute-notes/beilstein-test-organic-polymeric-materials.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/conservation-preservation-publications/canadian-conservation-institute-notes/beilstein-test-organic-polymeric-materials.html</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Short clip from the link. The Bolded/black text are my emphasis</p><p><br /></p><p><font size="4"><span style="color: #b30059">Procedure</span></font></p><p><span style="color: #b30059">Use a copper wire thick enough not to melt too quickly (e.g., I2- or 14-gauge copper wire, stripped of its insulation, that is used for wiring houses). Heat the copper wire to glowing red in the flame of a Bunsen burner or propane torch.</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: #000000"><b><i>Continue heating until no colour (other than the nearly invisible, slightly blue torch flame) is visible</i></b>. <b><i>There should be no green colour in the flame.</i></b></span><span style="color: #b30059"> Wash the wire intermittently with water and dilute nitric acid (10%) to remove materials that cause unwanted colouration. If</span> <span style="color: #b30059">washing fails, try a new wire. Once it is clean, take care to avoid touching the wire with fingers or objects other than the test material. When the flame is colourless, the test can proceed.</span></p><p><br /></p><p>Note that they use a freshly stripped wire and that when it&#039;s clean, no color is visible.&nbsp; That indicates that the <u>copper atoms in the wire do not give a false positive green color</u> (Note:&nbsp; There are flame tests that can be used to detect copper, but the ions need to be dissolved in a solution.&nbsp; This could be the source of the confusion).</p><p><br /></p><p>OK, so that&#039;s probably more than anybody wants to know about the Beilstein test (except maybe [USER=108656]@bruthajoe[/USER] <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie2" alt=";)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />).&nbsp; My recommendation; skip they test and just buy the Saflip Brand.&nbsp; They say polyethylene teraphthalate (Mylar) right on the package.&nbsp; No need to sniff, burn, or bend. (But then you don&#039;t get to do cool science experiments <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie101" alt=":woot:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />)</p><p><br /></p><p>Hope this helps clarify things[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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