Identification of drying oils in mixtures of natural binding media used for artistic and historic works by capillary electrophoresis

To characterise the technologies and to find the appropriate treatments, the identification of the binding media of artistic and historic objects is of high importance for the restorer and conservator. Often applied together with other binders, in the present paper, the applicability of a CZE method was ascertained for the identification of the constituents of drying oils in mixtures with animal glues and/or plant gums. The drying oils are identified after alkaline hydrolysis due to their content of long‐chain saturated and unsaturated fatty acids (palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic) and shorter‐chain dicarboxylic acids (pimelic, suberic, azelaic, sebacic). The dicarboxylic acids occur as products of the unsaturated acids by oxidative degradation during the drying process. The possible interferences in CE caused by the other binders are amino acids and/or monosaccharides. Such interferences could be expected as indirect UV detection has to be used, which is highly unspecific. It was found that none of the constituents of the animal glues or plant gums migrate in the time window of the analytes, thus not obstructing the identification of the analytes in any of the oil mixtures with one binder, or with a combination of both. No interference is observed even in excess of the glues. The method was applied for the identification of a drying oil in a paint layer from a ceremonial mask originating from Papua New Guinea. There is evidence that the oil is most probably from candlenut tree (Aleurites moluccana).     

Analysis of diterpenoic compounds in natural resins applied as binders in museum objects by capillary electrophoresis

The exudates of conifers consist mainly of diterpenoic acids of the abietane and pimarane type (abietic, neoabietic, dehydroabietic, palustric, pimaric, isopimaric, levopimaric and sandaracopimaric acid) and larixol acetate. These natural resins were used as adhesives, coatings, varnishes or plasticizers in artistic and historic works since ancient times. For the purpose of conservation and restoration and for art historic examination of such museum objects the identification of the binding media used is undoubtedly of paramount importance. In the present paper, the characterization of these resins based on the pattern of their diterpenoid constituents is carried out by capillary electrophoresis. For separation a background electrolyte which has been initially introduced for the analysis of chlorinated and natural resin acids in waste water was modified and the experimental conditions were adjusted in terms of resolution and analysis time. Separation was carried out in borate buffer at pH 9.25 (ionic strength 20 mmol L(-1)) with methyl-beta-cyclodextrin and sulfobutylether-beta-cyclodextrin as additives to increase selectivity and enhance the solubility of the analytes. With this electrophoretic system the resin acids of interest and larixol acetate--all as anionic cyclodextrin complexes--were separated within 5 min and detected at 200, 250 and 270 nm with a diode array detector. The electrophoretic patterns served for the characterisation of the relevant diterpenoic resins, balsams and copals. Sample pre-treatment was limited to sonication in methanol at 55 degrees C for 30 min. This enables the identification of the resins in mixtures with other binders like plant gums, animal glues or drying oils, even when these media are present in excess. Colophony was identified as resinous constituent of a modelling mass for gilded frames originating from the 19th century.     

A study for the characterization of binding media from medieval polychrome sculptures by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Summary Binding media in samples taken from XIIth–XIIIth century polychrome sculptures in the Baptistery of Parma (Italy) were characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, after hydrolysis and derivatization procedures. The use of SE-52 capillary columns and the application of selected ion monitoring (SIM) allowed an increasing in the sensitivity and the ability to differentiate between animal glues, casein, egg and drying oils as components of the binders of paint and ground layers. Small amounts of material were enough for a satisfactory characterization.     

Classification of protein binders in artist's paints by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry: an evaluation of principal component analysis (PCA) and soft independent modelling of class analogy (SIMCA)

Proteomics techniques are increasingly applied for the identification of protein binders in historical paints. The complex nature of paint samples, with different kinds of pigments mixed into, and degradation by long term exposure to light, humidity and temperature variations, requires solid analysis and interpretation methods. In this study matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectra of tryptic-digested paint replicas are subjected to principal component analysis (PCA) and soft independent modelling of class analogy (SIMCA) in order to distinguish proteinaceous binders based on animal glues, egg white, egg yolk and milk casein from each other. The most meaningful peptide peaks for a given protein class will be determined, and if possible, annotated with their corresponding amino acid sequence. The methodology was subsequently applied on egg temperas, as well as on animal glues from different species. In the latter small differences in the MALDI-TOF mass spectra can allow the determination of a mammal or sturgeon origin of the glue. Finally, paint samples from the 16(th) century altarpiece of St Margaret of Antioch (Mlynica, Slovakia) were analysed. Several expected peaks are either present in lower abundance or completely missing in these natural aged paints, due to degradation of the paints. In spite of this mammalian glue was identified in the St Margaret samples.     

Application of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis to the study of works of art: paint media identification in polychrome multi-material sculptures

A new gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric procedure for characterizing both drying oils and proteinaceous binders in samples of painted artworks has been developed. Furthermore, a new analytical procedure for analysis of polysaccharide materials through identification of the monosaccharide constituents is proposed. The methods have been applied to characterizing binding media of the different layers of the polychrome surface in the multi-material sculptures from the sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Mantova, Italy. It was found that animal glue was the main binder in the priming layer of all statues, whereas more complex mixtures were used in the paint layers. Generally, a drying oil was present, most often linseed oil alone or in combination with other organic binders.     

Characterisation of natural polysaccharides (plant gums) used as binding media for artistic and historic works by capillary zone electrophoresis

The monosaccharide constituents of plant gums were separated by capillary electrophoresis at pH 12.1 and detected with indirect UV absorbance. The plant gums investigated were gum arabic, gum acacia, gum tragacanth, cherry gum and locust bean gum (carob gum). The monosaccharides obtained after hydrolysis with 2M trifluoroacetic acid and lyophilisation of the hydrolysate were arabinose, galactose, mannose, rhamnose, xylose, fucose, and glucose, and the two sugar acids galacturonic and glucuronic acid, in accordance with the literature. They were separated in a background electrolyte consisting of NaOH to adjust the pH, 20 mM 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid as chromophore for detection and 0.5 mM cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as additive to reverse the electroosmotic flow. Based on their electropherograms, the plant gums could be identified by their typical composition (depicted in a decision scheme) as follows: a peak of glucuronic acid, together with that of rhamnose, is indicative for gum arabic. Peaks of galacturonic acid and fucose point to gum tragacanth. Locust bean gum shows a major peak for mannose (with the concomitant galactose peak in ratio 4-1), whereas a glucuronic acid and a mannose peak together with a prominent arabinose peak indicates cherry gum. The method was applied to identify the plant gums in samples like watercolours and in several paint layers like gum tempera or those with egg white or drying oils as additives. Artificial aging experiments of thin layers of gum arabic on paper or glass carried out with UV-A radiation (366 nm) did not result in changes of the saccharide patterns, in contrast to the simultaneously conducted aging of a drying oil layer.     

Characterization of bile acids and fatty acids from ox bile in oil paintings by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Characterization of ox bile, traditionally used in painting, is of interest in the fields of archaeometry and conservation and restoration of works of art. Bile acids, fatty acids (F), and cholesterol found in ox bile have been identified using a derivatization method that combines the formation of ethyl esters from the carboxylic groups and the trimethylsilyl ethers from hydroxyl groups. This method of analysis is consistent with these others proposed by the authors to analyze drying oils, proteins, and diterpenic resins usually used as binders and varnishes by the painters. Bile acids from binary samples such as animal glue/ox bile, casein/ox bile and Arabic gum/ox bile have been successfully analyzed using the proposed method. Finally, a method of analysis of mixtures of drying oil and ox bile has been also proposed attempting to quantitatively characterize samples in which ox bile was added to the drying oil for increasing the surfactant properties.     

Tracing the biological origin of animal glues used in paintings through mitochondrial DNA analysis

We report the development of a suitable protocol for the identification of the biological origin of binding media on tiny samples from ancient paintings, by exploitation of the high specificity and high sensitivity offered by the state-of-the art DNA analysis. In particular, our aim was to molecularly characterize mitochondrial regions of the animal species traditionally employed for obtaining glues. The model has been developed using aged painting models and then tested to analyze the organic components in samples from the polychrome terracotta Madonna of Citerna by Donatello (1415-1420), where, by GC-MS and FTIR spectroscopy, animal glues and siccative oils were identified. The results obtained are good in terms of both sensibility and specificity of the method. First of all, it was possible to confirm that Donatello used animal glue for the preparation of the painted layers of the Madonna of Citerna and, specifically, glue derived from Bos taurus. Data obtained from sequencing confirm that each sample contains animal glue, revealing that it was mostly prepared from two common European taurine lineages called T2 and T3. There is one remarkable exception represented by one sample which falls into a surviving lineage of the now extinct European aurochs.     

Identification of drying oils used in pictorial works of art by liquid chromatography of the 2-nitrophenylhydrazides derivatives of fatty acids

A new HPLC-UV-Vis method for identification of drying oils from binding media or protective film used in pictorial works of art prior to conservation or restoration is proposed. Chromophore derivatization of fatty acids released by hydrolysis of structural drying oils is studied. The derivatization reagent selected was 2-nitrophenylhydrazine with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl animopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride/pyridine as catalyst. This reaction was carried out using microwave heating. Mobile phase was methanol/water/n-propanol/acetic acid (80:14:5:1) running in isocratic mode. Absorbance was measured at 400 nm. In these conditions, hydrazides of myristic, palmitic, oleic, and stearic acids were satisfactorily resolved. Method shows good sensitivity, with a detection limit of 15 μmol l⁻¹, and good linearity between 0.03 and 3 mmol l⁻¹. Peak area ratios among fatty acids derivatives allows identification of the drying oils. The stearic/palmitic ratio is the most important, because it allows to differentiate among the different drying oils. The proposed method has been successfully applied to real samples from items of the cultural heritage of Valencia (Spain).     

Identification of proteinaceous binders used in artworks by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry

Proper identification of proteinaceous binders in artworks is essential for specification of the painting technique and thus also for selection of the restoration method; moreover, it might be helpful for the authentication of the artwork. This paper is concerned with the optimisation of analysis of the proteinaceous binders contained in the colour layers of artworks. Within this study, we worked out a method for the preparation and analysis of solid samples from artworks using tryptic cleavage and subsequent analysis of the acquired peptide mixture by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time of flight mass spectrometry. To make this approach rational and efficient, we created a database of commonly used binders (egg yolk, egg white, casein, milk, curd, whey, gelatine, and various types of animal glues); certain peaks in the mass spectra of these binders, formed by rich protein mixtures, were matched to amino acid sequences of the individual proteins that were found in the Internet database ExPASy; their cleavage was simulated by the program Mass-2.0-alpha4. The method developed was tested on model samples of ground layers prepared by an independent laboratory and then successfully applied to a real sample originating from a painting by Edvard Munch.     

Identification of proteins,drying oils,waxes and resins in the works of art micro‐samples by chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques

Simplified method for simultaneous identification of proteins, drying oils, waxes, and resins in the works‐of‐art samples was developed. Liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry were used to identify natural materials most frequently encountered in historical paintings. Protein binders were extracted with ammonia and purified using miniaturized solid‐phase microextraction (Omix tips) to efficiently suppress matrix interferences. Zwitterionic stationary phase was used for separation of 16 underivatized amino acids analysis with hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography that was subsequently quantified with liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry. Gas chromatography with mass spectrometry was used to analyze drying oils, waxes, and resins after one‐step saponification/transmethylation with (m‐trifluoromethylphenyl)trimethylammonium hydroxide (Meth‐Prep II). While the drawback of this reagent is low reactivity towards hydroxyl groups, sample pretreatment was much simpler as compared to the other methods. Fatty acids derivatization with the Meth‐Prep II reagent was compared with their silylation using N,O‐bis(trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide/trimethylchlorosilane mixture. It was concluded that fatty acids analysis as their methyl esters instead of trimethylsilyl esters had a minor impact on the method sensitivity. The developed method was used to analyze samples from 16^th and 17^th century historical paintings.     

Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric characterisation of plant gums in samples from painted works of art

This paper presents an analytical GC-MS procedure to study the chemical composition of plant gums, determining aldoses and uronic acids in one step. The procedure is based on the silylation of aldoses and uronic acids, released from plant gums by microwave assisted hydrolysis, and previously converted into the corresponding diethyl-dithioacetals and diethyl-dithioacetal lactones. Using this method only one peak for each compound is obtained, thus providing simple and highly reproducible chromatograms. The analytical procedure was optimised using reference samples of raw plant gums (arabic, karaya, ghatti, guar, locust bean and tragacanth, cherry, plum and peach gums), commercial watercolours and paint layers prepared according to ancient recipes at the Opificio delle Pietre Dure of Florence (Italy). To identify gum media in samples of unknown composition, a decisional schema for the gum identification and the principal component analysis of the relative sugar percentage contents were employed. The procedure was used to study samples collected from wall paintings from Macedonian tombs (4th-3rd centuries bc) and from the Mycenaean "Palace of Nestor" (13th century bc) in Pylos, Greece. The presence of carbohydrates was ascertained and plant gum binders (fruit and a mixture of tragacanth and fruit tree gums) were identified in some of the samples.     

Evaluation of mass spectrometric data using principal component analysis for determination of the effects of organic lakes on protein binder identification

Matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionisation–time of flight (MALDI‐TOF) mass spectrometry is commonly used for the identification of proteinaceous binders and their mixtures in artworks. The determination of protein binders is based on a comparison between the m/z values of tryptic peptides in the unknown sample and a reference one (egg, casein, animal glues etc.), but this method has greater potential to study changes due to ageing and the influence of organic/inorganic components on protein identification. However, it is necessary to then carry out statistical evaluation on the obtained data. Before now, it has been complicated to routinely convert the mass spectrometric data into a statistical programme, to extract and match the appropriate peaks. Only several ‘homemade’ computer programmes without user‐friendly interfaces are available for these purposes. In this paper, we would like to present our completely new, publically available, non‐commercial software, ms‐alone and multiMS‐toolbox, for principal component analyses of MALDI‐TOF MS data for R software, and their application to the study of the influence of heterogeneous matrices (organic lakes) for protein identification. Using this new software, we determined the main factors that influence the protein analyses of artificially aged model mixtures of organic lakes and fish glue, prepared according to historical recipes that were used for book illumination, using MALDI‐TOF peptide mass mapping. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

阿胶、龟甲胶中脂溶性成分的高效液相色谱指纹图谱

采用高效液相色谱法研究并建立东阿阿胶、龟甲胶脂溶性成分的指纹图谱,为药用动物胶的质量控制提供了有效的方法。采用液-液-液三相静态萃取方法制备样品,以水-乙腈为流动相进行二元梯度洗脱,检测波长为205 nm,柱温25 ℃,分析时间为60 min。采集20批样品的色谱图并对其进行相似度和聚类分析。分别标定了阿胶、龟甲胶的共有峰,其相似度分析及聚类分析结果显示两种胶间存在着明显的差异。该方法稳定可靠,可以有效地区别不同种属的药用动物胶,为动物胶剂的鉴别及质量控制提供了依据。     

Advances in identification of plant gums in cultural heritage by thermally assisted hydrolysis and methylation

Plant gums are present in works of art as binding media for watercolours and adhesives for cellulosic substrates. Thermally assisted hydrolysis and methylation (THM) in combination with analytical pyrolysis coupled to GC/MS has been applied to the characterisation of plant gums typically used in artworks. THM products from standard samples of arabic gum, tragacanth gum and cherry gum were characterised. The main products identified are permethylated and partially methylated aldonic acids, characteristic of specific epimeric sugars. Aldonic acids were formed by alkaline hydrolysis of free reducing sugars and of reducing polysaccharide terminal groups, while methylation occurs during pyrolysis. The presence of these characteristic markers allows gum identification. A systematic analysis of all the parameters that can affect the marker yields was performed. In particular, the influence of pyrolysis temperature, reagent concentration and contact time between tetramethylammonium hydroxide and sample were studied, and different kinds of sample preparation procedures were tested. Some analyses on real watercolours were performed, and gum binders were classified using the peak area ratio of the main monosaccharide markers.     

GC-MS identification of proteins in wall painting samples: A fast clean-up procedure to remove copper-based pigment interferences

A new approach was explored to purify proteins in a multi-step procedure for the characterisation of proteinaceous materials (casein, animal glue, and egg) in artwork samples by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. High concentrations of inorganic salts, such as azurite, have been found to impair the determination of protein via amino acid analysis. The effect of varying concentrations of copper-based pigments on the quantification of amino acids was evaluated through the analysis of replica paintings prepared with the three types of proteinaceous materials. Glycine, aspartic and glutamic acids are the amino acids most affected by the presence of copper salts. In the case of high concentration of salts, this interference hampers the correct identification of the proteins. To eliminate the inorganic salts, a C18 pipette tip was used to clean-up the ammonia extracts before the acidic hydrolysis step. The clean-up procedure allows us to prevent the influence of the inorganic salts and thus allows correct protein identification, though the quantitative recovery of proteinaceous material is quite low. The effectiveness of the optimised procedure was evaluated by analysing samples from two Italian wall paintings from the 13th and the 14th centuries. Without the clean-up it would not have been possible to detect the presence of a mixture of egg and animal glue in one case, and that of egg in the other one.     

Identification by GC-FID and GC-MS of amino acids, fatty and bile acids in binding media used in works of art

GC-FID was used as single methodology for the identification and differentiation of proteins, lipids and ox bile from binders used in artistic paintings. The samples were hydrolyzed by HCl. Subsequently, the simultaneous formation of volatile derivatives of the amino, fatty and bile acids with ethyl chloroformate was performed quickly and safely in an aqueous medium. The derivatives were separated by capillary GC and characterized by GC-MS. The ageing of drying oils was studied, identifying pelargonic acid among other degradation products. Proteinaceous and lipoid binding media were characterized by means of the quotients between the areas of the peaks for each amino or fatty acid with respect to the area of the peak for alanine or palmitic acid. Fatty acids from ox bile were easily identified by their retention times characteristic for eicosanoic, docosanoic and pentadecanoic acids. The suggested method was applied to the analysis of binders in baroque paintings by Palomino in Valencia (Spain). Animal gelatine and linseed oil were found.     

Classification and identification of organic binding media in artworks by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and principal component analysis

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy is a powerful analytical technique to study organic materials. However, in Cultural Heritage, since the sample under analysis is always a complicated matrix of several materials, data analysis performed through peak-by-peak comparisons of sample spectra with those of standard compounds is a tedious method that does not always provide good results. To overcome this problem, a chemometric model based on principal component analysis was developed to classify and identify organic binding media in artworks. The model allows the differentiation of five families of binders: drying oils, waxes, proteins, gums, and resins, taking into account the absorption bands in two characteristic spectral windows: C–H stretching and carbonyl band. This new methodology was applied in the characterization of binders in three kinds of artworks: papers of historical, archeological, and artistic value, easel paintings, and polychromed stone-based sculptures.     

Determination of inorganic anions, carboxylic acids and amino acids in plant matrices by capillary zone electrophoresis

Summary Physiological investigations of solute transport in plants affords knowledge of solute distribution between different tissues. Capillary electrophoresis using indirect UV and laser induced fluorescence (LIF) detection is demonstrated as a useful technique for the simultaneous determination of inorganic anions, amino acids and carboxylic acids in plant samples. Cell sap obtained from plant tissues as well as simple ethanolic or aqueous plant extracts can be analysed directly without any pretreatment. This matrix stability and the very small volumes required allow fast determinations of various compounds in small plant tissue sections. In the case of carboxylic acids, resolution can be optimized using calcium for selective complexation of some of the compounds. Selective and sensitive determination of amino acids is possible using precolumn derivatisation with orthophthaldialdehyde (OPA) and laser induced fluorescence detection. Presented at the 21^st ISC held in Stuttgart, Germany, 15^th–20^th September, 1996     

Identification by GC-FID and GC-MS of amino acids, fatty and bile acids in binding media used in works of art

GC-FID was used as single methodology for the identification and differentiation of proteins, lipids and ox bile from binders used in artistic paintings. The samples were hydrolyzed by HCl. Subsequently, the simultaneous formation of volatile derivatives of the amino, fatty and bile acids with ethyl chloroformate was performed quickly and safely in an aqueous medium. The derivatives were separated by capillary GC and characterized by GC-MS. The ageing of drying oils was studied, identifying pelargonic acid among other degradation products. Proteinaceous and lipoid binding media were characterized by means of the quotients between the areas of the peaks for each amino or fatty acid with respect to the area of the peak for alanine or palmitic acid. Fatty acids from ox bile were easily identified by their retention times characteristic for eicosanoic, docosanoic and pentadecanoic acids. The suggested method was applied to the analysis of binders in baroque paintings by Palomino in Valencia (Spain). Animal gelatine and linseed oil were found. Received: 27 September 2000 / Revised: 16 January 2001 / Accepted: 17 January 2001