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Alkyd paints in art: characterization using integrated mass spectrometry
Jacopo La Nasa1, Ilaria Degano, Francesca Modugno
1University of Pisa, Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, Via Risorgimento, 35, I-56126 Pisa, Italy.
Analytica Chimica Acta
|September 21, 2013
Summary
Characterizing alkyd resins in artist paints using mass spectrometry aids art conservation. This multi-analytical approach identifies resin components, helping to date artworks and understand material degradation.
Area of Science:
- Art Conservation Science
- Analytical Chemistry
- Materials Science
Background:
- Alkyd resins have been integral to artist paints since the 1940s.
- Characterizing alkyds in artworks is crucial for attribution, dating, and conservation planning.
- Differentiating commercial paint materials requires advanced analytical methods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize commercial alkyd paint materials.
- To demonstrate the utility of a multi-analytical mass spectrometry approach.
- To differentiate between various paint formulations and producers.
Main Methods:
- Integration of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for fatty acid and aromatic fractions after hydrolysis.
- High-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-Q-ToF) for triglyceride (TAGs) and diglyceride (DAGs) profiling.
- Flow injection analysis (FIA) with ESI-Q-ToF for rapid detection of additives like synthetic polymers.
Main Results:
- GC/MS successfully identified the fatty acid and aromatic components of the alkyd resins.
- HPLC-ESI-Q-ToF provided detailed profiles of TAGs and DAGs, enabling resin differentiation.
- FIA efficiently detected the presence of synthetic polymer additives.
Conclusions:
- The combined mass spectrometry techniques offer a powerful multi-analytical strategy for characterizing alkyd paints.
- This approach facilitates the identification of specific paint formulations and potential additives.
- The findings support art conservation efforts by providing detailed material insights for artworks.
Keywords:
Alkyd resinsElectrospray ionization-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometryFlow injection analysisGas chromatography/mass spectrometryHigh performance liquid chromatographyMore Related Videos
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