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Article

Natural Colorants for a Bio-Based Economy—Recovering a Lost Knowledge for Novel Applications of Chrozophora tinctoria Extracts as Paints Through a Multi-Analytical Approach

by
Imogen Cleveland
1,2,
Andrew Beeby
2,
Márcia Vieira
1,
Fernando Pina
3,
Paula S. Branco
3,
Paula Nabais
1,4,* and
Maria J. Melo
1,4,*
1
LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Conservation and Restoration (DCR), Nova School of Science and Technology, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
2
Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, UK
3
LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, Nova School of Science and Technology, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
4
Institute of Medieval Studies (IEM), NOVA University of Lisbon, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1646-003 Lisboa, Portugal
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Molecules 2025, 30(13), 2860; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30132860
Submission received: 19 May 2025 / Revised: 14 June 2025 / Accepted: 25 June 2025 / Published: 4 July 2025
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Abstract

Natural colorants, with their sustainable origins, offer a promising alternative for various applications. Advanced studies have unveiled the remarkable properties, resilience, and durability of these ancient dyes, which our ancestors developed through sustainable material processing. This serves as a testament to the potential of sustainable solutions in our field. As part of our research, we prepared three medieval temperas using gum arabic, parchment glue, and casein glue. These tempera were explicitly designed to protect the purples obtained from Chrozophora tinctoria extracts. A comprehensive multi-analytical approach guides our research on natural colorants. Central to this approach is the use of molecular fluorescence by microspectrofluorimetry, a key tool in our study. By analyzing the emission and excitation spectra in the visible range, we can identify specific formulations. This method is further supported by fingerprinting techniques, including Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode Array Detection (HPLC-DAD). These are further complemented by Fiber Optics Reflectance Spectroscopy (FORS) and colorimetry. Building on our understanding of orcein purples, we have extended our research to purples derived from Chrozophora tinctoria extracts. Our findings reveal the unique properties of Chrozophora tinctoria, which can be accurately distinguished from orcein purples, highlighting the distinctiveness of each.
Keywords: Chrozophora tinctoria; microspectrofluorimetry; organic dyes; cultural heritage Chrozophora tinctoria; microspectrofluorimetry; organic dyes; cultural heritage

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MDPI and ACS Style

Cleveland, I.; Beeby, A.; Vieira, M.; Pina, F.; Branco, P.S.; Nabais, P.; Melo, M.J. Natural Colorants for a Bio-Based Economy—Recovering a Lost Knowledge for Novel Applications of Chrozophora tinctoria Extracts as Paints Through a Multi-Analytical Approach. Molecules 2025, 30, 2860. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30132860

AMA Style

Cleveland I, Beeby A, Vieira M, Pina F, Branco PS, Nabais P, Melo MJ. Natural Colorants for a Bio-Based Economy—Recovering a Lost Knowledge for Novel Applications of Chrozophora tinctoria Extracts as Paints Through a Multi-Analytical Approach. Molecules. 2025; 30(13):2860. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30132860

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cleveland, Imogen, Andrew Beeby, Márcia Vieira, Fernando Pina, Paula S. Branco, Paula Nabais, and Maria J. Melo. 2025. "Natural Colorants for a Bio-Based Economy—Recovering a Lost Knowledge for Novel Applications of Chrozophora tinctoria Extracts as Paints Through a Multi-Analytical Approach" Molecules 30, no. 13: 2860. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30132860

APA Style

Cleveland, I., Beeby, A., Vieira, M., Pina, F., Branco, P. S., Nabais, P., & Melo, M. J. (2025). Natural Colorants for a Bio-Based Economy—Recovering a Lost Knowledge for Novel Applications of Chrozophora tinctoria Extracts as Paints Through a Multi-Analytical Approach. Molecules, 30(13), 2860. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30132860

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