Analytical study by SEM/EDX and metallographic techniques of materials used in the iron production process during the iberian period

This work is the archaeometric study of different types of materials used in iron production in the Iberian Period (6th-2nd century b.c.). The materials were recovered in several archaeological digs (which makes it possible to date the archaeological remains) on different sites in the Levante area of the Iberian Peninsula. The samples selected for this study belong to different materials used in the ancient iron production process such as ores, slags, finished objects, etc. The use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is proposed to observe surface images of the samples to determine their morphological, microstructural and topographic characteristics to obtain valuable information on the materials studied. The study also proposes chemical analysis of the elements in the sample by X-ray microanalysis (SEM/EDX) which provides both qualitative and quantitative information. The archaeometric study suggests that the iron obtained was very good quality, but the process was not economically efficient when viewed from today's perspective. Furthermore, the slag produced in the furnace can be related with the slag or impurities contained in the iron. It has also been possible to relate the ores and slag, some furnace conditions, the use of fluxes and also to differentiate types of slag.     

Application of SEM/EDX and metallographic techniques to the diachronic study (6th–18th century) of metallurgical materials found in archaeological excavations on the island of Ibiza (Spain)

This work is the archaeometric study of the different types of materials recovered in the same excavation or archaeological dig (which makes it possible to accurately date the remains found) on the island of Ibiza (Spain). The samples found belong only to the phase of iron forging and span a very wide historical period from the 6th to the 18th century, including the Islamic period. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) is proposed to observe the images obtained of the surfaces of the samples, in order to study the topographical, morphological and microstructural characteristics providing information on the materials contained in the samples. It also permits chemical analysis of the elements in the sample using X-ray Microanalysis (SEM/EDX), which provides both qualitative and semi-quantitative information on the elements in the sample. The archaeometric results suggest that the sole use of the area studied was as a forge workshop over a long period of time. The slag studied show that no reduction or refining activities took place in the area. However, in this forge, pieces of other metals were also produced, especially bronze alloys, polymetallism being a common characteristic throughout history.     

SEM-, EDS- and GDOES investigations for the identification of historical ferrous ore and slag from Sternmühlenthal valley in the outskirts of Chemnitz

SEM, EDS and GDOES investigations on ferrous ore and slag samples contribute to the local history of mining and metallurgy. Quantitative X-ray analysis confirms the ore to be limonite. The slag consists of fayalithe and incompletely reduced ore parts (iron scale). Additional calcium and charcoal inclusions were reactants of the bloomery process. The charcoal shows anatomical details of spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.). A multitude of typical trace elements was detected by GDOES both in ore and slag samples. The comparison of normalised GDOES signals for a series of constituents showed that the ore from the assumed deposit (Euba) was processed in the location (Sternmühlenthal), where the slag was discarded. The process was probably performed in the 17th century. Received: 30 July 1997 / Revised: 30 January 1998 / Accepted: 3 February 1998     

Archaeometrical study of paleometallurgical materials from the archaeological site “Cerro de las Balsas — Chinchorro” (La Albufereta,Alacant, Spain)

An Iberian archaeological site located in the east of Spain is one of the most important cupellation centers found in the 4th century b.c. Different metallurgical materials were found in the archaeological site as minerals, cast slags, forged slags, metallic lead, cupella fragments and bronzes. Also was found reverbs remains used for cupper-based materials and cupellation procedure, and hearth forge remains for obtained iron material. The recuperated samples were studied by comparing samples of the same type of material by macroanalysis and microanalysis. The microanalysis and quantitation of the different archaeological materials was carried out by SEM/EDX. The information provides about the knowledge of a metallurgic process such as that of silver production by lead cupellation. The microanalysis results reflect the variety of elements that constitute the slags and other materials, and that come from the forge of the worked metallic materials. Also, the process cupellation was confirmed by the identification of lead and silver. The presence of forge slag corroborates the use of the great amount of recovered heart forges in the excavation like metallurgical structures for the iron work.     

Archaeometrical study of paleometallurgical materials from the archaeological site “Cerro de las Balsas — Chinchorro” (La Albufereta, Alacant, Spain)

An Iberian archaeological site located in the east of Spain is one of the most important cupellation centers found in the 4th century b.c. Different metallurgical materials were found in the archaeological site as minerals, cast slags, forged slags, metallic lead, cupella fragments and bronzes. Also was found reverbs remains used for cupper-based materials and cupellation procedure, and hearth forge remains for obtained iron material. The recuperated samples were studied by comparing samples of the same type of material by macroanalysis and microanalysis. The microanalysis and quantitation of the different archaeological materials was carried out by SEM/EDX. The information provides about the knowledge of a metallurgic process such as that of silver production by lead cupellation. The microanalysis results reflect the variety of elements that constitute the slags and other materials, and that come from the forge of the worked metallic materials. Also, the process cupellation was confirmed by the identification of lead and silver. The presence of forge slag corroborates the use of the great amount of recovered heart forges in the excavation like metallurgical structures for the iron work.     

Instrumental neutron activation analysis applied to the determination of the chemical composition of metallic materials with study of interferences

Summary Instrumental neutron activation analysis was applied to evaluate the chemical composition of metallic materials, namely iron, steel, silicon and ferrosilicon certified reference materials. As, Co, Cr, Mn, Mo, Ni, V and W concentrations were analyzed in the iron and steel samples whereas 21 elements were determined in silicon and ferrosilicon samples. Accuracy and precision results of about 10% were achieved for most elements, indicating that the technique is suitable for the analysis of metallic materials. Interferences of Cr and Mn in V; Fe and Co in Mn; Co in Fe and Cr in Ti were quantified and only the last one was critical to the analysis of the materials employed in this work.     

Determination of trace elements in eyeshadow face powder and rouge make-up cosmetics by neutron activation analysis

Some trace elements exist in cosmetics due to the mineral origin of their raw materials and there is no information about their concentration levels in these products. Other trace elements must not be contained in cosmetics according to the list of European Communities. Instrumental neutron activation analysis has been applied to determine the elements: cerium, cesium, europium, hafnium, lanthanum, lutetium, potassium, rubidium, samarium, scandium, sodium, tantalum, terbium, tungsten and ytterbium in eyeshadow, face powder and rouge make up cosmetic products from the Greek market. According to our results, a wide range of values was found between the three examined cosmetics as well as between the different samples belong to the same kind of cosmetics. This probably could be attributed to the various manufacturers of the analyzed samples. Moreover the use of neutron activation analysis as a suitable routine method is discussed for the control of some elements which must not be contained in cosmetics.     

EDTA滴定法测定再生锌原料中的锌含量

采用氟化铵-盐酸-硝酸-硫酸分解样品,氨水沉淀分离铁、锰、铅等共存元素,滤液中加入掩蔽剂掩蔽少量干扰元素,在pH=5～6的乙酸-乙酸钠缓冲溶液中,以二甲酚橙为指示剂,用EDTA标准滴定溶液滴定。测得结果为锌、镉合量,扣除镉量,即为锌量。方法用于测定再生锌原料中锌,结果的相对标准偏差(RSD,n=11)为0.15%～1.0%。按照实验方法对再生锌原料样品进行加标回收实验,回收率为99.1%～102%。能满足日常对再生锌原料中锌含量的检测要求。     

Application of XRF,XRD, thermal analysis,and voltammetric techniques to the study of ancient ceramics

An in-depth chemical-analytical study has been performed on biscuit and mortar from 17th-18th century tiles from a mediaeval hermitage in the province of Valencia (Spain). Representative samples were chosen from the tile fragments available, using appearance, essentially color and consistency, as the criterion. The chemical composition was analyzed by X-ray fluorescence of the samples in the form of glass disks after a previous qualitative study to choose the standard materials for calibration and the experimental conditions used in the analysis. X-ray diffraction of the samples provided information about the mineralogical composition which was consistent with the firing of the original materials; it also gave information about the range of temperatures used in the firing. From thermal gravimetric analysis of the limestone, and from historical considerations, it was possible to deduce the raw materials used and their approximate composition in the tiles. In the same way it was possible to determine the nature of the mortars used to fix the tiles. Cyclic voltammetric study of the iron(II) and iron(III) system in the biscuit showed the simultaneous presence of both oxidation states, corroborating the results.     

微波消解－ICP-OES测定钛渣中常量或微量杂质

钛渣样品采取高压密闭微波加热方式以HF、HNO3进行消解,采用电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱法(ICP-OES)直接同时测定常量、微量杂质铁、铅、砷、铬、铜、磷、锰、钒、镁、钙。考察了消解条件、基体钛以及共存元素之间的干扰影响、等离子体参数等测定条件,通过优选元素分析谱线、以及采用基体匹配与同步背景校正相结合的方式消除光谱干扰和基体效应。测定50、60、70、80、90等不同品位钛渣中杂质元素的结果表明:方法检测范围涵盖了0.005%～10.0%的钙、镁、铁,以及0.005%～2.0%的铅、砷、铬、铜、磷、锰、钒,校准曲线相关系数大于0.999 2;背景等效浓度0.002%～0.0015%,检测限0.0009～0.0038%;含量不小于1.0%的RSD低于0.677%,在0.010%～0.10%含量范围内RSD低于3.85%;回收率为90.0%～108.0%。以本法对70、80、90 3个高钛渣标准样品的定值分析结果与传统化学方法对照一致。     

X-ray emission fluorescence (XRF) analysis of origin of raw materials of light dark reddish brown porcelain and porcelain with black flower on a white background of Dangyangyu kiln

Dangyangyu kiln was an important civil porcelain production place in the North China during the Song Dynasty. In order to find out the source of raw materials of the porcelain body and glaze and their classification relationship so as to correctly distinguish them, we have used XRF to determine the major chemical elements of some porcelain samples with light brown and samples with black flower on a white background. Dynamic fuzzy cluster analysis was applied to the data. Results indicate that the origin of raw materials of light brown porcelain body samples is comparatively more concentrated, while that of the porcelain with black flower on a white background is scattered about. The origin of the body materials of those two kinds of porcelain samples is obviously different. The origin of raw materials of light brown porcelain samples is comparatively concentrated and stable, while that of the porcelain with black flower on a white background is scattered about, moreover, the origin of glaze raw materials and the formula of the two kinds are obviously different. The origin and formula of the light brown porcelain with white glaze in the interior are close to those of the white glaze of porcelain with black flower on a white background, but they are not entirely identical.     

Lanthanide–actinide separation by bis-2-ethylhexylphosphoric acid from citric acid–nitric acid medium

Phosphate rock (Pho-ore) is the starting raw material used in manufacturing of most phosphate products. This material contains phosphorous, natural uranium, thorium potassium radionuclide and other trace elements. Single super phosphate powder (SSPho-P), single super phosphate granules (SSPho-G), and triple super phosphate (TSPho) are the common phosphate products produced along with phosphogypsym (CaSO₄) as a waste product. Since these materials are industrially manufactured by the reaction of the phosphate ore with phosphoric and sulphuric acids, these products and the waste product are extremely acidic. Pho-ore, SSPho-P, SSPho-G, TSPho and CaSO₄ samples were used in our study. Chemical analyses showed that these phosphate samples contain phosphorous, iron, aluminum ions and traces of uranium ions. Accumulation of the fertilizers on soils usually transfers some of these ions from the fertilizer materials to the soil/water interfaces. The migration of uranium U(VI), P, Al and Fe in subsurface soils was found to be strongly influenced by the sorption/desorption reaction at the solid/water interfaces. Thus, dissolution of these ions in soil/water phases is very important. Speciation of U(VI), P, Al and Fe in soil/water phases were calculated using a geochemical code (MINTEQA2). This study was conducted to determine sorption properties and the surface electrical properties of these ions at the soil samples.     

Investigation of reaction products of sulphuric acid with ilmenite

The reaction of sulphuric acid with titanium raw materials runs violently with simultaneous emission of gases. Such run of reaction creates danger of explosion. This process is very complicated from the reason of complexity of reactions and variety of compounds in reaction mixture. To determine safe conditions of reaction with high efficiency, it is necessary to investigate phase composition products of reaction. Products of reaction were investigated by using X-ray diffraction. However reaction products show high amorphy and this is the reason of difficulties to determine all phases. For this reason also was used additional method — ‘drop’ calorimeter. This method is used for determination of average specific heat of liquid or solid samples. In this case, this method was used for verification of phase composition of products of reaction. On the basis of investigation the phase composition of reaction product is following: titanyl sulfate, iron(III) sulfate, monohydrated iron(II) sulfate, magnesium sulfate and unreacted remainders of ilmenite and magnesium silicate.     

Integrated investigations for the characterisation of Roman lead-glazed pottery from Pompeii and Herculaneum (Italy)

A multi-analytical approach was used to investigate Roman lead-glazed ceramic artefacts from archaeological excavations at Pompeii and Herculaneum (Italy) aiming at defining the production technology of both glaze and ceramic body, by way of integrated investigations. The chemical, structural, and micro-morphological characterisations were performed using a combination of laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and micro-Raman spectroscopy. Fragments of artefacts (skyphoi, oil lamps, bowls, askoi, amphorae, krateres) of great historical and archaeological interest were sampled. LA-ICP-MS was used to determine the elemental composition by virtue of its effective lateral resolution, its ability to detect most elements and also to analyse comparably small samples. All the archaeological objects were coated with a lead-based glaze produced using a lead oxide-plus-quartz mixture, with sodium/potassium feldspars added as a flux and two different metals used: copper and iron. Two types of ceramic pastes have been identified, but chemometric techniques support the hypothesis of a Campanian provenance for the raw materials. Degradation phenomena such as the partial devitrification of the glaze, i.e. the slow structural reorganisation towards stable crystalline phases, and the leaching by mineral dissolution in the soil, were determined.     

氧化还原滴定法测定含铁钢渣中氧化亚铁含量

建立测定含有金属铁的钢渣中氧化亚铁含量的氧化还原滴定法。考察了金属铁对氧化亚铁测定结果的影响。分别以三氯化铁、二氯化汞氧化金属铁,运用化学反应方程式和数学公式换算,说明氧化亚铁与金属铁、三价铁、总铁之间的关系,换算出氧化亚铁的含量。该方法测定氧化亚铁的相对标准偏差为0.24%(n=10),氧化亚铁的加标回收率在99.7%~102.1%之间。对于含金属铁的钢渣样品中氧化亚铁的测定,该方法比冶金部标准(YB/T 140–2009)有更好的适用性和较高的准确性。     

Influence of The Elemental Composition of Medicinal Fruits on The Results of Their Thermal Analysis

Studies on the thermal decomposition and on the elemental composition of commercial raw plant materials used in medicine were performed. 16independent samples of fruits originating from 12 medicinal plant species collected in1988–92 were analysed. The thermal decomposition was performed using the derivatograph. The content of non-metallic (N, P, S, Cl, I and B) and metallic (Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn)elements was determined by spectrophotometric techniques after previous mineralization of sample. In order to obtain more clear classification of the analysed plant materials principal component analysis was applied. The interpretation of PCA results for three databases (thermoanalytical, non-metals and metals data sets) allows to state, that samples of fruits from the same plant species in the majority of cases are characterized by similar elemental composition and similar course of their thermal decomposition. In this way the differences in general chemical composition of medicinal plants raw materials can be determined. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Relation Between Thermal Decomposition of Medicinal Herbs and their Non-Metals Concentration

The studies on the concentration of total nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur, chlorine, iodine and boron as well as on the thermal decomposition of commercial raw plant materials used in medicine were performed. The 50 independent samples of herbs originating from 25 medicinal plant species collected in 1986–92 were analysed. The content of non-metallic elements was determined spectrophotometrically after previous mineralization of plant sample. The thermal decomposition was performed using the derivatograph with the application of 100 mg samples and heating rate of 5°C min⁻¹. In order to obtain more clear classification of the analysed plant materials principal component analysis (PCA) was applied. Interpretation of PCA results for two databases (non-metals and thermoanalytical data sets) allows to state, that samples of herbs from the same plant species in majority of cases are characterized by similar elemental composition and similar course of their thermal decomposition. In this way the differences in general chemical composition of medicinal plants raw materials can be determined. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The recognition of similarities in trace elements content in medicinal plants using MLP and RBF neural networks

The objective of the paper was to verify if the content of some elements provides enough information for proper classification of the medicinal plant raw materials. Such information could be helpful in standardization process of herbal products. Four elements—zinc, copper, lead and cadmium were determined using inverse voltammetry in commercially available medicinal herbal raw materials. Initially, principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to investigate the relationships among the analyzed trace elements. In the next stage of the study, two different types of feed-forward artificial neural networks (FANNs)—multilayer perceptron (MLP) and radial basis function (RBF) were applied. The concentrations of the elements were used as input variables to neural networks models, which were to recognize the taxonomy of the plant and the anatomical part it originated from. Although full recognition of the samples with use of FANNs on the basis of some trace elements content was not achieved, it was possible to identify two elements—cadmium and lead as the most important in the classification analysis of medicinal plants.     

On the Traceability of the Hazelnut Production Chain by Means of Trace Elements

The production chain of hazelnuts has been studied by analyzing three sets of samples produced in purity from three different pools of hazelnuts of cultivar “Tonda Gentile Trilobata”, “Tonda Gentile Romana” and “Mortarella”, all cultivated in Italy. From each pool, five processed products were obtained: roasted hazelnuts, hazelnut paste, hazelnut cream, Gianduja paste and Gianduiotto paste. After pre-treatment by means of dry ashing, all samples from each cultivar, including raw hazelnuts, were then analyzed by means of Inductively Coupled Plasma–Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and Inductively Coupled Plasma–Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). A good discrimination was obtained among the different chain stages according to the distribution of the trace elements, as expected. More interesting was the discrimination among the different cultivars: it was possible to distinguish the samples produced from the respective cultivar by means of specific chemical markers, particularly Mo and Ni.     

Food safety assurance using methods of chemical analysis

A review of state-of-the-art methods of sample preparation and chemical analysis for the control of contaminants in foodstuffs and food raw materials is presented. The main achievements and performance characteristics of methods for the determination of pesticides and veterinary drugs, their metabolites, natural toxins, trace amounts of chemical elements, first of all toxic, allergens, food additives, and contaminants from packaging materials in foodstuffs and for the identification of falsifications by methods of chemical analysis are considered.