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Applied Sciences
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Advances in Analytical Methods for Cultural Heritage
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Advances in Analytical Methods for Cultural Heritage

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 April 2024) | Viewed by 3937

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Federica Pozzi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centro per la Conservazione ed il Restauro dei Beni Culturali "La Venaria Reale", Via XX Settembre 18, 10078 Venaria Reale, TO, Italy
Interests: conservation science; analytical chemistry; cultural heritage
Dr. Catherine H. Stephens

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53rd Street, New York, NY 10019, USA
Interests: conservation science; materials science; preventive conservation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Analytical methods of cultural heritage is the key to advancing current scholarship in the fields of archaeology, supporting conservation treatments, enhancing the accessibility and fruition of artifacts, and best preserving these aspects for future generations. In recent decades, cultural heritage research has undergone a science-based revolution, prompted and sustained by a number of contributing factors. Among these, the development, adaptation, and application of innovative analytical methodologies have enabled researchers to implement the ultrasensitive detection and identification of various classes of materials. Relentless research in the field of miniaturization has resulted in portable and handheld instrumentation where ever-improving performance is placing data quality in close proximity to well-established benchtop equipment. The recent introduction of hybrid systems that combine multiple analytical techniques has also paved the way for a more consistent and less time-consuming data acquisition. The fact that these advances generate enormous amounts of data, on the other hand, has highlighted the need for new integrated tools for data visualization, management, and sharing. Global challenges such as climate change and the depletion of natural resources have similarly prompted the use of cutting-edge digital and technological resources to identify or monitor environmentally responsible storage and display conditions for cultural heritage. This Special Issue will gather contributions on the latest advances in the field of analytical methods for cultural heritage, with a special focus on non-invasive approaches and portable equipment, hybrid instrumentation or hyphenated techniques, methodologies and strategies for improved preventive conservation, and newly proposed tools for data management and fusion. 

Dr. Federica Pozzi
Dr. Catherine H. Stephens
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • conservation science
  • analytical chemistry
  • cultural heritage
  • preventive conservation
  • interdisciplinary research
  • miniaturization
  • hybrid instrumentation
  • hyphenated techniques
  • data fusion

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 12983 KiB  
Article
Development of a Thermal Separation Probe Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry Method for Evaluating Wax–Resin Removal by Evolon® CR
by Corina E. Rogge, Desirae Dijkema and Bradford A. Epley
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(7), 2941; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14072941 - 30 Mar 2024
Viewed by 489
Abstract
Historically, many canvas paintings were infused with wax–resin mixtures that have discolored over time, distorting the aesthetics of the work, limiting treatment options, and introducing unstable materials into the object. Removal of the wax–resin is often desirable, but before works of art can [...] Read more.
Historically, many canvas paintings were infused with wax–resin mixtures that have discolored over time, distorting the aesthetics of the work, limiting treatment options, and introducing unstable materials into the object. Removal of the wax–resin is often desirable, but before works of art can be treated, a protocol to evaluate the efficacy of the treatment must be established. A mock-up painting was infused with a known amount of a wax–resin mixture made from beeswax and dammar; this material was then extracted through six intervals of exposure to solvent-loaded and dry sheets of Evolon® CR, a non-woven textile with a high sorbent capacity. Samples from the Evolon® CR sheets from each extraction round were analyzed using thermal separation probe gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (TSP-GC/MS). Normalization of peak areas related to beeswax and dammar to those of Evolon® CR revealed the relative amount of wax and resin removed throughout the extraction. The data show that, under these test conditions, the beeswax and dammar appear to be extracted with the same relative efficiency, information that cannot be provided through UV-induced visible fluorescence imaging of the Evolon® CR sheets or weight data alone, but which is critical to capture as it has implications for treatment success and the long-term stability of an artwork. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Analytical Methods for Cultural Heritage)
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15 pages, 3286 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Salts and Clays for Conservation of Porous Cultural Heritage
by David Thickett
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(22), 12434; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132212434 - 17 Nov 2023
Viewed by 693
Abstract
Soluble salts and clays are major intrinsic causes of degradation of porous cultural heritage materials. Identifying their presence and concentrations can allow environmental control to prevent decay before it is observed. Such control is often energy- and carbon-intensive and better targeted towards those [...] Read more.
Soluble salts and clays are major intrinsic causes of degradation of porous cultural heritage materials. Identifying their presence and concentrations can allow environmental control to prevent decay before it is observed. Such control is often energy- and carbon-intensive and better targeted towards those objects that require it rather than a general approach. The use of poultices has been investigated to determine salt species and concentrations in stone to replace drilling samples. A non-invasive method using two types of moisture meter has been developed to map the conductivity of salt solutions in stone. Fourier transform and near-infrared spectroscopies have been investigated to non-invasively quantify the amount of muscovite clay in limestones without the need to take drilled samples. Salts can react with extrinsic acetic acid from display and storage environments, causing extensive damaging surface efflorescences. A rapid analytical procedure based on external reflectance Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) microscopy has been developed. This allows analysis of multiple salts on a cuneiform tablet surface. Analyses of soluble salts inside the tablets has indicated the sulphate-to-chloride ratio is a good predictor of whether mixed acetate efflorescences will occur on exposure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Analytical Methods for Cultural Heritage)
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17 pages, 4199 KiB  
Article
Black, Red and White: Characterization of Painting Materials on a Group of Bwa Masks from Burkina Faso
by Clara Granzotto and Ken Sutherland
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(22), 12240; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132212240 - 11 Nov 2023
Viewed by 826
Abstract
The distinctive and visually striking wooden masks associated with the Bwa culture in Burkina Faso, West Africa, are carved from a soft wood into different shapes and display various geometrical patterns and symbols according to their purpose. One of their characteristic features is [...] Read more.
The distinctive and visually striking wooden masks associated with the Bwa culture in Burkina Faso, West Africa, are carved from a soft wood into different shapes and display various geometrical patterns and symbols according to their purpose. One of their characteristic features is the use of the colors black, red, and white, which evoke the three major rivers crossing the country: the Black, Red, and White Voltas. According to published accounts of scholars who have worked directly with the artists, the materials used to obtain these colors include reptile excrement for the white, iron-rich stones powdered and mixed with egg or plant gums for the red, and boiled Acacia seed pods for the black, as well as modern materials such as enamel paint in some cases. A group of four Bwa masks in the Arts of Africa collection of the Art Institute of Chicago was investigated using a complement of analytical techniques including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy, pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and mass spectrometry-based proteomics to characterize their painting materials. The results obtained corroborate the published accounts, while also providing new insights into the nature of the coloring materials and the selection and substitution of pigments and binders. These findings highlight the complementary value of scientific research, in combination with fieldwork and artists’ accounts, to generate a fuller understanding and appreciation of this traditional artistic practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Analytical Methods for Cultural Heritage)
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15 pages, 2068 KiB  
Article
Room Temperature Evaporation Behavior of Homogeneous Azeotropes Used in Art Conservation Cleaning Treatments
by Adrian Villalta-Cerdas, Gregory D. Smith, Megan Carrison DeSmit and John V. Goodpaster
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(21), 11962; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132111962 - 02 Nov 2023
Viewed by 724
Abstract
Cleaning painted surfaces of their grime, aged varnishes, and discolored overpaint is one of the most common interventive treatments for art conservators. Carefully concocted solvent mixtures navigate the solubility differences between the material removed and the original paint underneath. However, these solutions may [...] Read more.
Cleaning painted surfaces of their grime, aged varnishes, and discolored overpaint is one of the most common interventive treatments for art conservators. Carefully concocted solvent mixtures navigate the solubility differences between the material removed and the original paint underneath. However, these solutions may be altered by differential evaporation rates of the component solvents (zeotropic behavior), potentially leading to ineffectively weak cleaning or conversely overly strong residual liquid capable of damaging the underlying paint. Azeotropic solvent blends, which maintain a constant composition during evaporation, offer a promising solution. These blends consist of two or more solvents combined at precise concentrations to function as a single solvent. Additionally, pressure-maximum azeotropes feature higher vapor pressure compared to other mixtures, further minimizing contact time and sorption of the solvents into artworks. This study examines azeotropes of isopropanol with n-hexane and 2-butanone in cyclohexane, which have been used previously in art conservation. The evaporation behavior at room temperature of these boiling point azeotropes was assessed using vapor pressure measurements, refractive index determinations, gravimetric analysis, and gas chromatography. Results showed changes in composition during evaporation and found that the actual room temperature azeotropic composition can vary between 1 and 10% v/v in concentration with those commonly reported at their boiling points. Art conservators should be cautious when using azeotropic blends reported at boiling points significantly higher than room temperature. To ensure the safety and efficacy of these mixtures, it is recommended to determine individual azeotropic cleaning blends experimentally before their use. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Analytical Methods for Cultural Heritage)
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