US EPA

326398 

Journal Article 

Multianalytical approach to the analysis of English polychromed alabaster sculptures : μRaman, μEDXRF, and FTIR spectroscopies 

Castro, K; Sarmiento, A; Maguregui, M; Martinez-Arkarazo, I; Etxebarria, N; Angulo, M; Urrutikoetxea Barrutia, M; Gonzalez-Cembellin, JM; Madariaga, JM 

2008 

Yes 

Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry
ISSN: 1618-2642
EISSN: 1618-2650 

392 

4 

755-763 

English 

18704374 

10.1007/s00216-008-2317-0 

WOS:000259411400019 

A complete study of several English polychromed alabaster sculptures is presented. The support, pigment, and binders were characterised by combining μEDXRF, μRaman, and FTIR spectroscopies. Among the pigments, minium, vermilion, lead white, carbon black, red iron oxide, and a degraded green copper pigment were determined, together with gold leaf. The presence of the rare mineral moolooite (copper oxalate) was also found as a degradation product in the green areas, where weddellite (calcium oxalate dihydrate) was also determined. These facts, together with degradation of the green copper pigment, suggest microbiological degradation of the original materials. Remains of glue and a varnish were also determined by FTIR spectroscopy and principal-components analysis (PCA) of the spectra. Finally, PCA analysis was carried out to confirm whether the pieces came from the same quarry. (English) 

Pigment; Alabaster; Raman; XRF; Artwork; Sculpture; Oxalate; Oxyde de fer; Noir carbone; Oxyde de carbone; Spectrométrie fluorescence RX; Spectrométrie Raman; Analyse composante principale; Calcium; Produit dégradation; Or; Cuivre; Plomb; Liant; Spectrométrie transformée Fourier; Spectrométrie IR; Iron oxide; Carbon black; Carbon oxides; Pigments; X ray fluorescence spectrometry; Raman spectrometry; Principal component analysis; Degradation product; Gold; Copper; Lead; Binders; Fourier transform spectroscopy; Infrared spectrometry; Oxalato; Hierro óxido; Carbón negro; Pigmento; Espectrometría fluorescencia RX; Espectrometría Raman; Análisis componente principal; Calcio; Producto degradación; Oro; Cobre; Plomo; Ligante; Espectrometría IR