Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry for the chemical characterisation of modern and archaeological figs (Ficus carica)

Ribechini, Erika; Pérez-Arantegui, Josefina; Colombini, Maria Perla

doi:10.1016/j.chroma.2011.04.052

Cited by 24 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 32 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The organic content was characterized by FTIR (22) along with an analytical procedure based on GC/MS (the analytical method and instrumental parameters are reported in ref. 23). …”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ingredients of a 2,000-y-old medicine revealed by chemical, mineralogical, and botanical investigations

Giachi¹,

Pallecchi²,

Romualdi³

et al. 2013

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In archaeology, the discovery of ancient medicines is very rare, as is knowledge of their chemical composition. In this paper we present results combining chemical, mineralogical, and botanical investigations on the well-preserved contents of a tin pyxis discovered onboard the Pozzino shipwreck (second century B.C.). The contents consist of six flat, gray, discoid tablets that represent direct evidence of an ancient medicinal preparation. The data revealed extraordinary information on the composition of the tablets and on their possible therapeutic use. Hydrozincite and smithsonite were by far the most abundant ingredients of the Pozzino tablets, along with starch, animal and plant lipids, and pine resin. The composition and the form of the Pozzino tablets seem to indicate that they were used for ophthalmic purposes: the Latin name collyrium (eyewash) comes from the Greek name κoλλύ ρα, which means "small round loaves." This study provided valuable information on ancient medical and pharmaceutical practices and on the development of pharmacology and medicine over the centuries. In addition, given the current focus on natural compounds, our data could lead to new investigations and research for therapeutic care. We present results combining chemical, mineralogical, and botanical investigations on the well-preserved contents of a tin pyxis. This pyxis was found onboard the Pozzino shipwreck discovered on the seabed of the Baratti Gulf (Fig. S1) at a depth of about 18 m near the remains of the Etruscan city of Populonia (Tuscany, Piombino, Italy) (4-6). The shipwreck was discovered in 1974 and the Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici della Toscana (archaeological authorities of Tuscany) undertook the first exploration in 1982 and archaeological excavation during [1989][1990]. The ship consisted of a small hull (15-18 m long and about 3 m wide) preserved only in the central part and inclined in the direction east-west, with the stern probably facing west. It was dated to the second half of the second century B.C. (probably 140-130 B.C.) on the basis of the archaeological findings. At that time, Populonia was of primary importance along the seatrade routes between the West and East, and this shipwreck bears witness to the republican trades across the Mediterranean Sea. Many interesting objects were found during the excavations, among them Sirian-Palestinian glass bowls, still stacked; WestSlope ware from Pergamon; some lagynoi; Rodian amphoras for wine transport; lamps of Ephesian origin; several tin and bronze vessels, such as one-handled jugs (one with a filter spout); oinochoai with trefoil mouths; ladles; and one inkwell, all of which came from the same geographical area. Such objects suggest that the ship, or at least a great part of its cargo, came from the east, probably the Greek coasts or islands. It is very likely that the ship was first equipped in the free harbor of the island of Delos (4, 5). The cargo also included medical equipment: numerous tin pyxides and 136 wooden vials were found close to an iro...

show abstract

“…The organic content was characterized by FTIR (22) along with an analytical procedure based on GC/MS (the analytical method and instrumental parameters are reported in ref. 23). …”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ingredients of a 2,000-y-old medicine revealed by chemical, mineralogical, and botanical investigations

Giachi¹,

Pallecchi²,

Romualdi³

et al. 2013

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Sample (3-5 mg) was subjected to alkaline hydrolysis [23,24] by adding 1 mL of methanolic KOH (KOH in CH 3 OH (10 wt%)/KOH in H 2 O (10 wt%), 2:3), and heating at 60°C for 3 h. After hydrolysis, neutral organic components were extracted with n-hexane (3× 500 μL) and, after acidification with hydrochloric acid (10 M; to pH 2), the acidic organic components were extracted from the hydrolysate with diethyl ether (3× 500 μL). Aliquots of both fractions were evaporated to dryness under a gentle stream of nitrogen and subjected to trimethylsilylation.…”

Section: Gc/ms Analysis Of Polymerised and Soluble Componentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Micromorphological and chemical elucidation of the degradation mechanisms of birch bark archaeological artefacts

et al. 2015

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Introduction: Since ancient times, the unique properties of birch barks (Betula genus) have made them a material of choice for producing both everyday-life and artistic objects. Yet archaeological birch bark artefacts are rare, and little is known about the chemical transformations undergone by bark (chemically composed mainly of suberin and triterpenes) in archaeological contexts. Understanding the chemical modifications induced by ageing is essential for selecting suitable preservation and conservation approaches. Thus, the main aim of this research is to assess the preservation and state of degradation of archaeological findings made of birch bark: a Neolithic bow case recovered from a melting ice patch in the Bernese Alps (Switzerland) and a waterlogged birch bark vessel discovered at Moossee Lake (Canton of Bern, Switzerland). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) were used to obtain information at micro-morphological and molecular levels on the state of degradation of the birch bark findings. GC/MS analysis followed two different sample preparations, alkaline hydrolysis and solvent extraction, in order to investigate respectively the hydrolysable and soluble constituents, and to test whether part of the suberin structure was depolymerised by the long period of burial. Results and conclusions: SEM investigations on archaeological birch bark samples have shown that the extent of degradation of the microstructure is much higher in waterlogged birch bark than in birch bark preserved in ice. GC/MS analysis revealed that at a molecular level, the birch bark was quite well preserved. In both the archaeological environments, ice patch and lake water, various reactions had taken place leading to the depletion of reactive and sensitive compounds such as unsaturated acids and epoxy-compounds. In addition, archaeological birch bark had undergone depolymerization and oxidation reactions leading to the appearance of free suberin monomers and of oxidised triterpenes (betulone and lupenone). GC/MS data also seems to suggest that the birch bark preserved in the waterlogged site had a more pronounced degradation both in terms of oxidation and depolymerisation.

show abstract

“…Moreover, this in situ derivation technique enhances the volatility of the thermochemolysis products by decreasing their polarity resulting in rapid transfer of the products to the GC column limiting the risks of thermal degradation. [11] Finally, the methyl esters have a response coefficient that is higher than that of the corresponding fatty acids owing to the greater stability of the fragments formed during MS.…”

Section: Analytical Thermochemolysis (Tmah-py-gc-ms)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Identification and assay of microbial fatty acids during co-composting of active sewage sludge with palm waste by TMAH-thermochemolysis coupled with GC-MS

Fels

Ouaqoudi

Lemée

et al. 2014

Chemistry and Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The fatty acids of two composts of active sludge with palm tree waste were investigated by thermochemolysis coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. This method (tetramethylammonium hydroxide-pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) allowed the direct determination of total fatty acids (analysed as fatty acid methyl esters: FAMEs) present in the organic matter of the samples without any separation procedures. Mixture A was 1/3 sludge + 2/3 palm waste and mixture B was 1/2 sludge + 1/2 palm waste. The level of FAMEs rose by 8.4-33.3% and 10.8-13.4% in mixtures A and B, respectively, after 6 months of co-composting. Branched FAMEs of bacterial origin (iC15:0) rose during the thermophilic phase, in mixture A the aC17:0/aC15:0 ratio increased during the co-composting process, also in mixture B the aC16:0/C16:0 ratio rose but only during the thermophilic phase. All the FAMEs identified showed a drop at the end of co-composting except for C18:0 and C16:0. The stabilisation phase was characterised by a significant rise in the length of the aliphatic chains; the carbon preference index thus increased at the end of the composting process, indicating that the final product was proportionally richer in fatty acids of plant origin.

show abstract

Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry for the chemical characterisation of modern and archaeological figs (Ficus carica)

Cited by 24 publications

References 32 publications

Ingredients of a 2,000-y-old medicine revealed by chemical, mineralogical, and botanical investigations

Ingredients of a 2,000-y-old medicine revealed by chemical, mineralogical, and botanical investigations

Micromorphological and chemical elucidation of the degradation mechanisms of birch bark archaeological artefacts

Identification and assay of microbial fatty acids during co-composting of active sewage sludge with palm waste by TMAH-thermochemolysis coupled with GC-MS

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About