6533b863fe1ef96bd12c78df

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Determination of selected polyaromatic hydrocarbons by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry for the analysis of wood to establish the cause of sinking of an old vessel (Scauri wreck) by fire

Stella BastoneSantino OrecchioEugenio CaponettiDelia Francesca Chillura MartinoSalvatore Barreca

subject

chemistry.chemical_classificationVesselChemistryPolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbonArchaeologicalArchaeologicalVesselFirePAHsFireCombustionSettore CHIM/12 - Chimica Dell'Ambiente E Dei Beni CulturaliAnalytical ChemistryPAHsEnvironmental chemistrypolycyclic compoundsSettore CHIM/01 - Chimica AnaliticaGas chromatography–mass spectrometrySpectroscopy

description

Abstract The aim of this paper was to establish the cause of sinking of an old wooden vessel by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) analyses because wood combustion is a source of PAHs. In particular, the molecular PAH patterns generated by each source are like fingerprints and it is possible to determine the processes that generate PAHs by studying their distribution in wood samples. The relative abundance of high molecular weight PAHs, together with the PAH compound ratios and with total index (proposed by us) has demonstrated that samples owe their PAHs in wood archaeological material to a predominant single mode of origin, i.e. combustion processes, therefore we can say that the sinking of the vessel was caused by a fire.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2014-01-01Microchemical Journal
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2014.06.020