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A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 3727

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Paola Fermo

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Guest Editor

Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Golgi 19, 20133 Milan, Italy
Interests: environmental analytical chemistry; analytical chemistry applied to cultural heritage
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Andrea Bergomi

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Co-Guest Editor

Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Golgi 19, 20133 Milan, Italy
Interests: analytical chemistry; environmental and cultural heritage chemistry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The application of analytical methodologies for the study and characterization of environmental and cultural heritage matrices is becoming increasingly widespread, taking into account continuous instrumental developments. Depending on the specific application, these two fields may not overlap or may be strongly connected with one another; indeed, research shows a direct relationship between cultural heritage and the surrounding environment. This Special Issue is dedicated to novel case studies in which conventional methods are applied in synergy with more innovative ones and/or others which have seldom been used in these research fields to solve issues and problems concerned with cultural heritage and the environment. Such methods may include the use of a wide range of techniques depending on the specific application: elemental and/or molecular analyses, destructive and/or micro-destructive methods, in situ applications, and/or laboratory settings. Environmental samples include air, water, soil, and food, while all materials of historical and artistic interest are included for cultural heritage applications. Scientific papers with an emphasis on the role and importance of analytical techniques that help to tackle the issue of interest are encouraged.

Prof. Dr. Paola Fermo
Dr. Andrea Bergomi
Guest Editors

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Keywords

analytical chemistry
analytical techniques
analytical methodologies
environment
cultural heritage

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 2939 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Chemometrics-Assisted Calibration of a Handheld LIBS Device for the Quantitative Determination of Major and Minor Elements in Artifacts from the Archaeological Park of Tindari (Italy)

by Gabriele Lando, Francesco Caridi, Domenico Majolino, Giuseppe Paladini, Giuseppe Sabatino, Valentina Venuti and Paola Cardiano

Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(12), 6929; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15126929 - 19 Jun 2025

Viewed by 211

Abstract

In this study, a chemometrics-assisted calibration method was developed for the Z-903 SciAps handheld Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (h-LIBS) device. For this purpose, seventeen silica-based standard samples with known chemical composition were collected, pelleted, and analyzed using h-LIBS. Spectral data were pre-processed using a Whittaker filter and normalized via Standard Normal Variate (SNV). The dataset was divided into calibration and validation sets using the Kennard–Stone algorithm. Partial Least Square (PLS) regression was employed for multivariate regression analysis, and a variable selection method (i.e., Variable Importance in Projection, VIP) was applied to reduce the number of predictors. Results from the PLS-VIP approach demonstrated that this device is suitable for the quantitative measurement of nineteen chemical elements, including major and minor elements, achieving significant R² values for major elements including Na (R² = 0.91), Mg (R² = 0.95), and Si (R² = 0.89). The limits of detection reached are satisfying, being, for example, 0.24%, 0.41%, 0.43%, 1.5%, and 1.7% for Na, Al, Ca, Si, and Fe, respectively, among major elements, and 189 ppm, 165 ppm, 203 ppm, and 1 ppm for Ba, Cu, Mn, and Rb, respectively, among minor elements. Uncertainties in prediction of the element concentrations were compared with data from the literature, and the effect of another baseline pretreatment algorithm, airPLS (adaptive iteratively reweighted PLS), was also tested. The method was then applied to nine silica-based artifacts of different typologies sampled from the Archaeological Park of Tindari (Italy), including bricks from the theatre, archaeological glasses, and volcanic rocks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Solving Environmental and Cultural Heritage Issues Through Analytical Tools)

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26 pages, 19105 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Analysis of Mineralogical Composition and Radioactivity Levels in Stone Samples from the Archaeological Site of Halaesa (Sicily, Italy)

by Giuseppe Paladini, Paola Cardiano, Francesco Caridi, Lorenzo Pistorino, Domenico Majolino, Francesco Gregorio, Stefania Lanza, Gabriele Lando, Antonio Francesco Mottese, Marco Miano, Olivia Gómez-Laserna and Valentina Venuti

Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(11), 5915; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15115915 - 24 May 2025

Viewed by 370

Abstract

This work presents the results of a multi-technique comparative investigation aimed at assessing the mineralogical composition and radioactivity levels of two stone fragments from different areas of the archaeological site of Halaesa (Sicily, Italy). The analysis employed an integrated approach combining μ-energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (μ-EDXRF) spectroscopy, µ-Raman spectroscopy, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), ion chromatography (IC), High-Purity Germanium (HPGe) gamma spectrometry, and E-PERM electret ion chamber methods. By examining the stone composition at both the elemental and molecular scales, with support from ion chromatography data, potential degradation patterns linked to post-depositional weathering and external decay agents were identified. Moreover, the specific activity of radionuclides (²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K) and the ²²²Rn exhalation rates were measured, enabling the estimation of a set of radiological indices that assess potential health hazards associated with prolonged exposure to these lithic materials. The findings highlight how a multidisciplinary approach can foster the assessment of stone deterioration mechanisms, supporting the design of optimized conservation strategies aimed at preserving the archaeological heritage of Halaesa and ensuring the safety of both the public and onsite personnel. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Solving Environmental and Cultural Heritage Issues Through Analytical Tools)

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28 pages, 3806 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Database of Historical Pigments: A Comparison Between ATR-FTIR and DRIFT Modalities

by Daniel Jiménez-Desmond and José Santiago Pozo-Antonio

Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(7), 3941; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15073941 - 3 Apr 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1163

Abstract

The existence of historical pigments databases is important to speed up cultural heritage research. Knowledge of their chemical composition and their manufacture contributes to the study of art history and helps develop accurate conservation-restoration strategies. In this study, a total of nineteen pigments, among which we find silicates (Egyptian blue, natural and synthetic blue ultramarine, green earth and chrysocolla), oxides (natural and synthetic hematite, red and yellow natural ochres, and chromium green), carbonates (natural and synthetic azurite, natural and synthetic malachite, and white lead), sulphides (natural and synthetic cinnabar, and orpiment) and acetates, (verdigris) have been characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared-Spectroscopy in Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR-FTIR) and Diffuse Reflectance (DRIFT) modalities. Considering the latter, there is still a great deal of uncertainty in the interpretation of the different IR vibrational bands. Therefore, a comparative study between these two techniques has been carried out to highlight the potential of DRIFT spectroscopy as a portable and non-destructive technique that allows the differentiation and characterization of historical pigments in the field of cultural heritage. Before performing FTIR analysis, pigments were analysed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) to detect impurities and/or additives in the pigments. Differentiation between natural and synthetic pigments was possible due to the identification of impurities in natural pigments, and manufacture-related compounds or additives in synthetic pigments. Results obtained in this study have proven DRIFT to be a very useful analytical technique for in situ characterization of heritage materials. This study serves as an initial step in clarifying the challenges and uncertainties associated with interpreting spectra obtained through the DRIFT modality. However, the use of other complementary analytical techniques is required. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Solving Environmental and Cultural Heritage Issues Through Analytical Tools)

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19 pages, 28445 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Masonry and Pictorial Surfaces Study by Laser Diagnostics: The Case of the Diana’s House in Ostia Antica

by Valeria Spizzichino, Luisa Caneve, Antonella Docci, Massimo Francucci, Massimiliano Guarneri, Daniela Tarica and Claudia Tempesta

Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(4), 2172; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15042172 - 18 Feb 2025

Viewed by 552

Abstract

The aim of the present research is to validate the combined use, through data fusion, of a Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) scanning system and a radar scanner (RGB-ITR, Red Green Blue Imaging Topological Radar system), as a unique tool to address the need for non-invasive, rapid, and low-cost techniques for both diagnostic and operational needs. The integrated system has been applied to the House of Diana complex in Ostia Antica. The main diagnostic objective of this research was to trace the materials used in different phases of restoration, from antiquity to modernity, on both masonry and pictorial surfaces, to reconstruct the history of the building. Due to the significant interest in this insula, other studies have been recently carried out on the House of Diana, but they once again highlighted the necessity of multiple approaches and non-invasive methods capable of providing quasi-real-time answers, delivering point-by-point information on very large surfaces to overcome the limits related to representativeness of sampling. The data acquired by the RGB-ITR system are quantitative, allowing for morphological and 3-colour analysis of the investigated artwork. In this work, the sensor has been used to create coloured 3D models useful for structural assessments and for locating different classes of materials. In fact, the LIF maps, which integrate knowledge about the original constituent materials and previous conservation interventions, have been used as additional layers of the tridimensional models. Therefore, the method can direct possible new investigations and restoration actions, piecing together the history of the House of Diana to build for it a safer future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Solving Environmental and Cultural Heritage Issues Through Analytical Tools)

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20 pages, 7811 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Deterioration of White Tempera Mock-Ups Paints in a SO₂-Rich Atmosphere

by Teresa Rivas, José Santiago Pozo-Antonio, Daniel Jiménez-Desmond, Amelia Dionísio and Carolina Cardell

Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(3), 1610; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15031610 - 5 Feb 2025

Viewed by 715

Abstract

Historical tempera paints exposed to pollutant gases suffer chemical and mineralogical deterioration which manifests through physical changes. Knowledge about these changes is fundamental to develop strategies for preventive conservation of wall paintings. In this research, binary tempera mock-ups composed of calcite, gypsum or lead white mixed with a proteinaceous binder (i.e., egg yolk or rabbit glue) were exposed to an aging test by using SO₂-rich atmosphere exposure to learn about the degradation mechanisms and forms related to the pigment–binder interaction. Reference (unaltered) and aged mock-ups were studied from a physical point of view, characterizing the morphological changes by using stereomicroscopy and profilometry, color variations by using spectrophotometry, gloss changes, and reflectance changes by using a hyperspectral camera. Also, mineralogical and chemical changes were studied by means of X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Egg-yolk-based paints showed higher chromatic changes than their counterparts made of rabbit glue binder. Also, sulfate and sulfite salts precipitated on the surface of the aged paints regardless of their binder, influencing the painting reflectance which subsequently increased. Egg-yolk-based mock-ups exhibited roughness increases while the rabbit-glue-based paints showed roughness reduction, with the exception of lead-white-based paints. Therefore, the important influence of the type of binder and the interaction between the binder and the pigment on the durability of tempera paints in atmospheres rich in SO₂ was confirmed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Solving Environmental and Cultural Heritage Issues Through Analytical Tools)

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