Indagin su fibre di carbonio e interazione con l'acqua mediante rilassometria NMR.

Assessing the effect of chromium pollution on benthic foraminiferal community: morphological vs. environmental metabarcoding approaches

The purpose of this experimental study is to assess the impact of different concentrations of chromium (Cr) through time on the diversity of cultured benthic foraminifera combining two morphological approaches for the identification of living specimens that are Rose Bengal (RB) staining and CellTracker Green (CTG) labelling as well as environmental DNA and RNA metabarcoding. Seven tanks/aquaria with different concentrations of Cr in water, namely 100 ppt, 1 ppb, 10 ppb, 100 ppb, 1 ppm and 10 ppm plus the control were used. A mesocosm was extracted from each tank at pre-established time (1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks 6 weeks and 8 weeks). Morphological analyses produced 6 datasets based on staini…

The response of cultured meiofaunal and benthic foraminiferal communities to lead exposure: Results from mesocosm experiments

Lead (Pb) has been regarded as a very toxic element that poses a serious threat to biota. A mesocosm experiment is performed to assess the influence of Pb on meiofaunal (metazoans within 45-500 µm) and benthic foraminiferal (protozoans) communities. To this end, sediments bearing such communities are incubated in mesocosms, exposed to different levels of Pb in seawater, and monitored for up to eight weeks. Concentrations of Pb below 1 ppm in water do not promote a significant increase of this metal in sediments. Relatively high concentrations of Pb seem to affect meiofaunal and benthic foraminiferal communities by reducing their richness or diversity, and the abundance of the most sensitive…

Le possibili applicazioni della Risonanza Magnetica Nucleare: dalle proteine ai Beni Culturali

Materiali porosi d’interesse per i beni culturali: studio di un reperto lapideo dal teatro antico di Taormina

Indagini EPR su legni moderni e antichi

La tecnica EPR e'stata applicata allo studio di legni moderni ed antichi. I legni deteriorati mostrano un segnale EPR molto piu'intenso di quelli non deteriorati. Questo risultato puo' essere spiegato dall'aumento dei radicali liberi nei campioni deteriorati.

Environmental reconstruction of Trapani saltmarsh (southwestern Sicily) during the last 80 years. An integrated approach by using benthic foraminiferal assemblages and metal concentrations

Environmental Aspect Concerning Phthalates Contamination: Analytical Approaches and Assessment of Biomonitoring in the Aquatic Environment

This review is a survey of recent progress in studies concerning the impact of phthalic acid esters in aquatic organisms. After introducing the classification, properties, sources, fate, and toxic effects related to phthalates, an overview of the techniques of extraction and analysis of these substances is provided. As a result, the general concepts of environmental bioindicators, biomonitoring systems, and other concepts related to phthalate contamination in the aquatic environment are presented. Recent bioaccumulation data of different phthalates are summarised in a table and organised according to the type of organism, tissue, and geographical area of sampling. Bioindicator organisms tha…

Studio integrato per la caratterizzazione dei laterizi

Impact of Heavy Metals in Eggs and Tissues of C. caretta along the Sicilian Coast (Mediterranean Sea)

In this study we compared the heavy metal concentration found in different tissues and eggs of the loggerhead sea turtle and evaluated the potential ecotoxicological risk for this important species. Eighteen heavy metal elements were determined in different tissues (liver, gonads, fat, kidney, heart, brain, and spleen) of nine individuals of Caretta caretta found stranded along the coasts of Messina (Sicily, Italy) and in the shell and yolk of six eggs from the island of Linosa (Sicily, Italy). For the analysis of the heavy metals, we used the analytical procedures in accordance with the EPA 200.8 method supplemented by EPA 6020b with three replicates for each measurement. The elements anal…

Microwave Power Saturation of EPR Signal of Modern and Ancient Woods

Rilassometria NMR in legni moderni e in legni trattati e non trattati provenienti da una statua lignea del XVI secolo

NMR di materiali lapidei e di legni archeologici

Environmental RNA outperforms eDNA metabarcoding in assessing impact of marine pollution: A chromium-spiked mesocosm test

Environmental (e)DNA metabarcoding holds great promise for biomonitoring and ecotoxicological applications. However, few studies have compared the performance of eDNA versus eRNA metabarcoding in assessing organismal response to marine pollution, in experimental conditions. Here, we performed a chromium (Cr)-spiked mesocosm experimental test on benthic foraminiferal community to investigate the effects on species diversity by analysing both eDNA and eRNA metabarcoding data across different Cr concentrations in the sediment. Foraminiferal diversity in the eRNA data showed a significant negative correlation with the Cr concentration in the sediment, while a positive response was observed in t…

Studi preliminari mediante MRR e MRI su legni bagnati d'interesse archeologico

Indagini preliminari ToF-SIMS su manufatti lignei provenienti dal museo diocesano di Palermo

The Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) is a methodology only recently applied to the study of the artworks. This tecnique allow the acquisition of a high amount of morphological and chemical information, directly related to the surface properties of the investigated sample. Through this technique it is possible to carry out an elemental analysis of the material as well as a determination of molecular ions (organic and/or inorganic) with a molecular weight ≤ 5000 Dalton (atomic mass unit). Moreover it is possible to use this spectrometry in an Imaging mode, that supplies a spatial distribution of the present substances, by the generation of "a chemical image", with a v…

FROM LABORATORY TO IN-SITU NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE DIAGNOSTICS: AN APPLICATION TO BUILDING MATERIALS OF THE GREEK-ROMAN THEATRE OF TAORMINA

Studi preliminari mediante MRR e MRI su legni bagnati di interesse archeologico

Integrated techniques to study sedimentary rocks from Sicily used in Cultural Heritage

Distribution of Cr and Pb in artificial sea water and their sorption in marine sediments: an example from experimental mesocosms

The uptake of two heavy metals (chromium and lead) in sediments in experimental mesocosms under exposure to different metal concentrations was evaluated by monitoring their concentrations over time both in seawater and in sediment. Two separate experiments under laboratory-controlled conditions were carried out for the two metals. Sediments were collected from a protected natural area characterized by low anthropic influence and were placed in mesocosms that were housed in aquaria each with seawater at a different metal concentration. At pre-established time intervals, seawater and sediment samples were collected from each mesocosm for chemical analyses. Quantification of chromium and lead …

Tridimensional molecular assembly of the major components of extra-virgin olive oils

Electronic paramagnetic resonance power saturation of wooden samples

The deterioration of wood used for artifacts of artistic interest involves the production of different free radicals from the macromolecules of the wooden matrix (cellulose, lignin, and hemicellulose). Among the techniques able to provide information about these free radicals, the contribution of electronic paramagnetic resonance (EPR) can be very valuable. In this paper, the study of EPR signals (with g 2) of both modern and ancient wooden taxa was undertaken in order to analyze some features of the free radicals in natural wood. In particular, we have studied the microwave power saturation behaviors of seasoned wooden samples from ten species, and we have found remarkable differences betw…

Tracce di cultura devozionale spagnola nella Palermo del '600: Studio e Restauro

Oggetto di studio e restauro è una scultura lignea interamente dorata e dipinta, con funzione processionale, che raffigura la Madonna di Monserrato, il cui culto è collegato al noto Santuario annesso al Monastero dei Benedettini di Montserrat, vicino Barcellona. Di particolare interesse si è rivelato lo studio della tecnica esecutiva di quest’opera, anche perché la scultura lignea siciliana, in particolare quella eseguita dal Rinascimento al Barocco, è a tutt’oggi poco studiata, o comunque affrontata in maniera dispersiva e non sistematica . La Madonna, frontale e assisa, ostende il Bambino Gesù adagiato tra le ginocchia e perfettamente contenuto entro la sua sagoma, riprendendo una specifi…

DATAZIONE MEDIANTE LA TECNICA DELLA TERMOLUMINESCENZA

Diagnostic analyses of the wooden statue of Madonna Monserrato

Indagini ESR su legni moderni e antichi.

Regeneration of cellulose by water addition to phosphoric acid/cellulose mixture

In the last years, phosphoric acid has been increasingly considered as a simple and economic solvent for cellulose pretreatment before its degradation to glucose. Cellulose swells in 71–80% phosphoric acid solutions, whereas at higher H3PO4 concentrations dissolution appears to occur. In addition, it is reported that regenerated cellulose is more easily fermentable to bioethanol. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the mechanism for cellulose regeneration following treatment with phosphoric acid at room temperature. CPMAS 13C NMR spectra revealed a downfield shift of the 13C NMR signals from the regenerated cellulose as compared to the crystalline one. CPMAS 31P NMR spectroscopy s…

Analisi di manufatti lignei provenienti dal Museo Diocesano di Palermo tramite Spettrometria di massa ToF-SIMS

Verso una diagnostica integrata dei materiali porosi mediante tecniche tradizionali ed NMR: una rete nazionale di laboratori

Fino ad anni recenti la Risonanza Magnetica Nucleare non era stata sostanzialmente impiegata per lo studio di materiali di interesse per i Beni Culturali. Ora le tecniche di Rilassometria NMR per i materiali porosi sono divenute un importante strumento di indagine della struttura dello spazio poroso, delle sua alterazioni, e del contenuto di acqua. Vengono mostrati esempi di integrazione tra le tecniche NMR ed altre tecniche tradizionali.

Approccio multidisciplinare al resturo della statua di San Nicola di Mira: un caso studio

Solid-liquid nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation and signal amplitude relationships with ranking of seasoned softwoods and hardwoods

In 1H NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) relaxation measurements for a set of eight hardwood and softwood samples, each Free Induction Decay (FID) is fit by the sum of a “Solid” signal of the form A exp[−c(t/Ts)2] [1−g(t/Ts)2+h(t/Ts)4] plus a “Liquid” signal B exp(−t/T2 FID). Distributions of longitudinal (T1) relaxation times were computed separately for the Solid and Liquid components, giving also the Solid/Liquid 1H ratio α. From measurements on the samples dried, seasoned, and hydrated, the moisture content, (Liquid/Solid weight ratio) was found to be approximately 0.50/α. For each of the “Seasoned” samples (10-13% moisture content) a single T1 peak was found for the Solid and two for the…

NMR relaxation in modern wood and treated and untreated wood from a XVI century wooden statue

Longitudinal (T1) relaxation data are presented for European lime (Tilia cordata Mill) wood samples, a modern sample and two from a XVI century wooden statue, one of which samples is treated with Paraloid B72 for preservation. The 1H signals from liquid and solid are separated in the free induction decays (FID). T1 distributions are obtained by UPEN and show two resolved peaks for the liquid component of either untreated wood but a wide distribution for the liquid of the treated sample. In each case, the solid component showed a single peak, which for either untreated sample was at about the position of the longer T1 liquid peak. We compute geometric-mean times, T1-gm, 2.1 and 36 ms for the…

Low field NMR spectroscopy for quality evaluation of natural organic matter

Confronto NMR tra diverse forme di cellulosa in materiali cartacei da raccolta differenziata

Preliminary studies on treated waterlogged wood by low field NMR spectroscopy

Diagnostic analyses of the wooden statue of Madonna di Monserrato

Supramolecular organization of triglycerides in extra-virgin olive oils as assessed by high and low field NMR spectroscopies

Classificabilità di essenze lignee mediante rilassometria e imaging NMR

Misure di rilassamento 1H-NMR per la classificazione di essenze lignee e per lo studio di trattamenti protettivi e consolidanti

Indagini diagnostiche e restauro della statua lignea di San Nicola di Mira

The restoration of the wooden statue of San Nicola di Mira – usually known as San Nicola di Bari – at the Diocesan Museum of Palermo, is the result of a cooperation among art historians, restorers, physicists, chemists, biologists and geologists. The intervention was carried out by following a series of historical and scientific surveys which allowed to study the object in depth and to recover it its originality. The restoration took place in a hall of the Diocesan Museum, fitted out as a laboratory, according to rigorous scientific rules and to Cesare Brandi’s restorationtheory. So, the statue went back, as far as possible, to its ancient splendour; moreover, some details re-emerged, that …

Assessing the effect of mercury pollution on cultured benthic foraminifera using DNA metabarcoding and morphological approaches

Heavy metals such as mercury (Hg) occur in ecosystems from both natural sources and human activities, with large variations in concentrations and pose a significant health hazard through bioaccumulation and biomagnification. The aim of this experimental study is to assess the impact of different concentrations of Hg through time on the diversity of cultured benthic foraminifera. Tanks with concentrations of Hg up to 100 ppm were considered. Mesocosms containing 1-cm-thick sediment from each tank were subsampled at pre-established time intervals for geochemical (Hg content), morphological and molecular analyses. Morphological analyses were based on both Rose Bengal and the CellTracker Green …

Dissolution mechanism of crystalline cellulose in H3PO4 as assessed by high-field NMR spectroscopy and Fast Field Cycling NMR relaxometry

Many processes have been proposed to produce glucose as a substrate for bacterial fermentation to obtain bioethanol. Among others, cellulose degradation appears as the most convenient way to achieve reliable amounts of glucose units. In fact, cellulose is the most widespread biopolymer, and it is considered also as a renewable resource. Due to extended intra- and interchain hydrogen bonds that provide a very efficient packing structure, however, cellulose is also a very stable polymer, the degradation of which is not easily achievable. In the past decade, researchers enhanced cellulose reactivity by increasing its solubility in many solvents, among which concentrated phosphoric acid (H(3)PO…

Reconstruction of the environmental evolution of a Sicilian saltmarsh (Italy)

The present study deals with the reconstruction of the environmental evolution of a Trapani saltmarsh (southwestern Sicily, Italy) by combining different analytical approaches such as metal content evaluation, low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxometry, and benthic foraminifera identification. A 41 cm core was collected in the sediments of a Trapani saltmarsh (southwestern Sicily, Italy) at a water depth of about 50 cm. Different time intervals were recognized, each characterized by peculiar features that testify different environmental conditions. In particular, the bottom layers of the sediment core (41–28 cm) comprised the lowest amount of mud fraction, only some selected met…

Caratterizzazione NMR ed EPR di mattoni del Teatro Antico di Taormina.

Integrated techniques to evaluate the features of sedimentary rocks of archaeological areas of sicily.

Sicily includes a great variety of lithologies, giving a high complexity to the geologic landscape. Their prevalent lithology is sedimentary. It is well known that rocks of sedimentary origin, compared with metamorphic and volcanic deposits, can be relatively soft and hence fairly easy to model. Nevertheless, this workability advantage is a drawback for Cultural Heritage applications. In fact, these materials show a high porosity, with pore-size distributions that lead to deterioration through absorption of water. In this paper, several sedimentary rocks used in historical Cultural Heritage items of Sicily, from "Magna Graecia" to nowadays, are classified for mineralogical features, chemica…

Assessing the effect of mercury pollution on cultured benthic foraminifera community using morphological and eDNA metabarcoding approaches

Mercury (Hg) is a highly toxic element for living organisms and is known to bioaccumulate and biomagnify. Here, we analyze the response of benthic foraminifera communities cultured in mesocosm and exposed to different concentrations of Hg. Standard morphological analyses and environmental DNA metabarcoding show evidence that Hg pollution has detrimental effects on benthic foraminifera. The molecular analysis provides a more complete view of foraminiferal communities including the soft-walled single-chambered monothalamiids and small-sized hard-shelled rotaliids and textulariids than the morphological one. Among these taxa that are typically overlooked in morphological studies we found poten…

Valutazione del grado di stagionatura del parmigiano mediante misure di rilassometria NMR a ciclo di campo

Indagini NMR su legni moderni e antichi.

Indagine su fibre di carbonio e interazione con l'accqua mediante rilassometria NMR

Indagini NMR su legni moderni ed antichi

Tecniche di risonanza di spin elettronico applicate allo studio di campioni lignei

Applicazione di tecniche e materiali innovative per la conservazione ed il restauro di materiali lapidei

Preliminary 1H NMR studyon waterlogged wood strengthened with Klucel

Waterlogged woods from sea or lakes are very fragile because chemical, physical and biological decay. Wood artefacts, if directly dried in air, risk a structurally collapse and loss original form and dimension. The progressive substitution of water with suitable strengthening materials can preserve the characteristic of the wood finds. Among various natural and synthetic polymers suitable for this porpoise we have chosen aqueous solutions of Klucel (hydroxypropylcellulose), a polymer obtained from etherification of cellulose. This compound can interact with all the components of the wooden structure (cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin) and can cover the cavities by a protective and stabili…

Indagini diagnostiche e restauro della statua lignea di SAN NICOLA DI MIRA

Preliminary 1H NMR study on archaeological waterlogged wood.

Magnetic Resonance Relaxation (MRR) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are powerful tools to obtain detailed information on the pore space structure that one is unlikely to obtain in other ways. These techniques are particularly suitable for Cultural Heritage materials, because they use water 1H nuclei as a probe. Interaction with water is one of the main causes of deterioration of materials. Porous structure in wood, for example, favours the penetration of water, which can carry polluting substances and promote mould growth. A particular case is waterlogged wood from underwater discoveries and moist sites; in fact, these finds are very fragile because of chemical, physical and biological…

Thermal transformation of micro-crystalline cellulose in phosphoric acid

Use of crude oil derivatives such as diesel and gasoline is becoming unsuitable due to their detriment to environment and to the increasing worldwide energy demand which is driving crude oil reservoirs towards exhaustion. Replacement of diesel and gasoline with biofuels (i.e. biodiesel and bioethanol, respectively) is very desirable. In fact, biofuels are not only environmentally sustainable, but also potentially inexhaustible due to the large amounts of waste biomasses from which they can be retrieved. In the present study, a model compound (micro-crystalline cellulose) was dissolved in phosphoric acid and converted at 80 °C to glucose, thereby providing the possible substrate for fermenta…

Indagini diagnostiche della statua lignea della Madonna di Monserrato

The restoration of the wooden statue of Madonna of Montserrat at the Diocesan Museum of Palermo was preceded by a series of chemical-physical and biological investigations which have allowed a better knowledge of the work. In particular the following analyses have been performed on fragment of original material, sampled near the gaps of the wooden statue,: • observations of cross sections to the reflected light Optical Microscope (OM) to identify the stratigraphy and the pictorial materials; • SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) observations on cross sections and analysis in microprobe with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) for structural and chemical analysis of the single pictorial laye…

1H MRI study on waterlogged wood streghtened with Klucel

Benthic foraminifera as an innovative proxy for pollution monitoring, impact and risk assessment of marine ecosystems: experimental studies to evaluate the effect of trace element and oil pollutions

Dynamics of pistachio oils by proton nuclear magnetic resonance relaxtion dispersion

A number of pistachio oils were selected in order to test the efficacy of nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation dispersion (NMRD) technique in the evaluation of differences among oils (1) obtained from seeds subjected to different thermal desiccation processes, (2) retrieved from seeds belonging to the same cultivar grown in different geographical areas and (3) produced by using seed cultivars sampled in the same geographical region. NMRD measures relaxation rate values which are related to the dynamics of the chemical components of complex food systems. Results not only allowed to relate kinematic viscosity to relaxometry parameters but also were successful in the differentiation among the…

Caratterizzazione di materiali lapidei