Search results for "Elemental composition"
showing 10 items of 36 documents
Neutron scattering and imaging: a tool for archaeological studies
2015
International audience; Neutron scattering and neutron imaging are powerful techniques for studying the structure of objects without damage, which is an essential prerequisite for investigations in Cultural Heritage domain, particularly in Archaeology. The deep penetration of neutrons in most materials allows for the study of relatively large objects. The contrast between similar materials, like metals in alloys, or that due to the presence of hydrogen atoms gives information about the internal structure of objects that have been modified or repaired in the past. Imaging and tomography give a 3-dimensional view of the whole object, permitting discrimination between different parts of the ob…
Personal body ornamentation on the Southern Iberian Meseta: An archaeomineralogical study
2016
Beads and pendants from the Castillejo del Bonete (Terrinches, Ciudad Real) and Cerro Ortega (Villanueva de la Fuente, Ciudad Real) burials were analysed using XRD, micro-Raman and XRF in order to contribute to the current distribution map of green bead body ornament pieces on the Iberian Peninsula which, so far, remain undetailed for many regions. XRD, micro-Raman and XRF analyses showed that most of the beads from Castillejo del Bonete (Late 3rd millennium cal. BC) were made from variscite or green phyllosilicates, while Cerro Ortega's (Late 4th millennium cal. BC) beads were made out of fossil wood or Clinochlore. Significantly enough, while XRD pointed to variscite as the main crystallo…
Chemical and mineralogical analyses on stones from Sagunto Castle (Spain)
2019
Abstract For the first time, an archaeometric study was carried out on the carbonate rock ashlars of the Sagunto Castle. The studied site is one of the most important and best preserved Spanish archaeological and architectural monuments, characterized by different construction phases from the Roman period to Modern Ages. Forty samples collected from thirteen different structures of Sagunto Castle and two quarries, located in the Sagunto's hill were used for comparative purposes. The samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to determine their mineralogical and elemental composition. The obtained data show similar chemical…
Comparative analysis of the proximate and elemental composition of the blue crab Callinectes sapidus, the warty crab Eriphia verrucosa, and the edibl…
2016
AbstractThe proximate composition and element contents of claw muscle tissue of Atlantic blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) were compared with the native warty crab (Eriphia verrucosa) and the commercially edible crab (Cancer pagurus). The scope of the analysis was to profile the chemical characteristics and nutritive value of the three crab species. Elemental fingerprints showed significant inter-specific differences, whereas non-significant variations in the moisture and ash contents were observed. In the blue crab, protein content was significantly lower than in the other two species, while its carbon content resulted lower than that characterizing only the warty crab. Among micro-elements…
Exposure to toxic agents alters organic elemental composition in human fingernails.
2008
Abstract Background and objective: The human fingernail plate is highly keratinized. The keratin structure is held together by disulfide bonds. The organic elements sulfur and nitrogen occur almost exclusively in amino acids of the nail plate. This study analyzed whether occupational exposure to harmful chemical agents alters the organic elemental composition in fingernails. Subjects and methods: Participants were 71 occupationally exposed workers (49 hairdressers, 22 painters) and 49 unexposed controls. Aspects of exposure were assessed by questionnaire. Nail clippings of index and little fingers were analyzed for sulfur (S), nitrogen (N), carbon (C), and hydrogen (H) contents, using an au…
Wide-range screening of banned veterinary drugs in urine by ultra high liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry
2012
In this work, an ultra high performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) methodology is proposed for the multi-class multi-residue screening of banned and unauthorized veterinary drugs in bovine urine, using an Orbitrap Exactive™ analyzer working at a resolving power of 50,000 FWHM in full scan, both in positive and negative mode. The method currently covers 87 analytes belonging to different families such as steroid hormones, β-agonists, resorcylic acid lactones (RAL), stilbens, tranquillizers, nitroimidazoles, corticosteroids, NSAIDs, amphenicoles, thyreostatics and other substances such as dapsone. A database including the elemental composition, the po…
Preservation and decay of plant remains in two Palaeolithic sites: Abrigo de la Quebrada and Cova de les Cendres (Eastern Spain). What information ca…
2020
Abstract Plant remains are quickly affected by post-depositional processes once they are deposited in archaeological sites. In normal conditions, decomposing organisms cause their decay and final disappearance unless a preservation agent, as carbonisation or mineralisation, inhibit their activity. Moreover, physical and chemical processes could also lead to the partial or total destruction of the archaeobotanical assemblage. Thus, an analysis of their characteristics is useful for an assessing of the taphonomic processes. Archaeobotanical assemblages from two Palaeolithic sites, Abrigo de la Quebrada and Cova de les Cendres, have been analysed in terms of taxonomic composition of the assemb…
Provenance of Early Bronze Age Metal Artefacts in Western Switzerland Using Elemental and Lead Isotopic Compositions
2011
Indoor air quality in schools of a highly polluted south Mediterranean area
2019
This study aimed at surveying lower secondary schools in southern Italy, in a highly polluted area. A community close to an industrial area and three villages in rural areas was investigated. Indoor temperature, relative humidity (RH), gaseous pollutants (CO 2 and NO 2 ), selected biological pollutants in indoor dust, and the indoor/outdoor mass concentration and elemental composition of PM 2.5 were ascertained. Temperature and RH were within, or close to, the comfort range, while CO 2 frequently exceeded the threshold of 1000 ppm, indicating inadequate air exchange rate. In all the classrooms, median NO 2 levels were above the WHO threshold value. Dermatophagoides p. allergen concentration…
ENERGY DISPERSIVE X-RAY DIFFRACTION IN CULTURAL HERITAGE SCIENCE: THE WINNING DUO OF STRUCTURAL AND ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS
2013
The capabilities of Energy-Dispersive X-ray Diffraction (EDXD) in the field of Cultural Heritage are disccussed. EDXD diffractometer, equipped with a white source, is particularly suited for the structural and elemental analysis of items having different nature. Given its compact and versatile design, the instrument allows to collect data from samples without tearing down of any portion and with no specific preparation. In the wide energy range sampled during the measurements, both X-ray fluorescence and diffraction features appear. In all cases, data are acquired in air and in a non-destructive way, and their collection is fast.