Organic content evaluation of corrosion patinas in outdoor bronze monuments

Summary As opposed to inorganic composition, the characterization of organic content in patinas of bronze monuments has been neglected. Analytical pyrolysis coupled with gaschromatographyάss-spectrometry (Py/GC-MS) has been shown to be a valid and rapid technique to identify organic materials in corrosion patina of bronze monuments. In this paper six renaissance Italian outdoor bronze monuments were analyzed in order to determine organic composition of the patina. Results show the presence of both environmental organic compounds and chemicals coming from protective treatment.