Method for Noninvasive Analysis of Proteins and Small Molecules from Ancient Objects.

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Archaeometry

Background:

• Analysis of ancient objects often requires invasive microsampling.
• Proteins and small molecules offer crucial context for cultural heritage artifacts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a non-invasive method for analyzing proteins and small molecules on cultural heritage objects.
• To validate the method's performance and demonstrate its applicability to real-world samples.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a functionalized ethyl-vinyl acetate film with ion exchange and C8 resins.
• Employed Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for analysis.
• Validated the method using ESEM and LED multispectral imaging to confirm non-invasiveness.

Main Results:

• Achieved excellent analytical performance with high R² values (0.98-0.99).
• Demonstrated repeatable recoveries suitable for precious samples.
• Confirmed no damage or residues on analyzed surfaces.

Conclusions:

• The developed method offers a non-invasive, in situ approach for analyzing ancient materials.
• Successfully characterized binders in historical frescoes and identified a colorant on a wood panel.
• The technique is broadly applicable to the study of precious cultural heritage objects.