μ-XRF analysis of glasses: a non-destructive utility for cultural heritage applications

Abstract

This paper presents a μ-XRF analytical approach for a non-destructive study of Cultural Heritage glass finds. This technique can be used for quantitative analysis of small volumes of solid samples, with a sensitivity that is superior to the electron microprobe but inferior to an ICP-MS system. An experimental set-up with natural and synthetic glass standards is proposed here for the quantitative analyses of major and trace elements on glass objects which cannot be sampled such as small archaeological or historical artefacts from Cultural Heritage. The described method, performed by means of the commercial μ-XRF Eagle III-XPL, was applied to Islamic glass specimens of Sasanian production (III-VII century A.D.) previously analyzed by ICP-MS and SEM-EDS techniques (P. Mirti, M. Pace, M. Negro Ponzi and M. Aceto, Archaeometry, 2008, 50(3), 429-450; P. Mirti, M. Pace, M. Malandrino and M. Negro Ponzi, J. Archaeol. Sci., 36, 1061-1069; and M. Gulmini, M. Pace, G. Ivaldi, M. Negro Ponzi and P. Mirti, J. Non-Cryst. Solids, 2009, 355, 1613-1621) and coming from the archaeological site of Veh Ardasir in modern Iraq. Major elements (Na, Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Fe) of glass specimens show an accuracy better than 5%. Trace elements (Cr, Mn, Sr and Zr) display an accuracy better than 5% when the checked elements have a concentration >100 ppm by weight, whereas it is around 10% with a concentration <100 ppm by weight. μ-XRF is, therefore, a suitable elemental analysis technique for the non-destructive study of small glass finds due to its relatively good accuracy, reproducibility and low detection limits (∼tens ppm).

The Candoglia Marble and the “Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano”: A Renowned Georesource to Be Potentially Designed as Global Heritage Stone

“…The marbles coming from VCO quarrying basin are also characterized by values of oxygen more negative than other marble of the Western Alps. For Candoglia marble, a range between −7 and −13 18 δO is reported by [19]. This feature is probably due to the high metamorphic grade reached by the Ivrea Zone, the geological unit to which Candoglia marble pertains.…”

“…Micro-XRF Eagle III-XPL (Röntgen analytic Messtechnik GmbH, Butzbach, Germany) was used for trace elements analysis of calcite and dolomite in rock samples. Analytical condition are reported in [18]. The Candoglia marble archaeometric characterization has been carried out using stable isotopic data reported by Antonelli and Lazzarini [19].…”

Composition and microstructure of maiolica from the museum of ceramics in Ascoli Piceno (Italy): evidences by electron microscopy and microanalysis

“…The spot sample positioning is allowed by an X-Y-Z motorized stage, by two CCD video cameras with a 109 and 1009 magnification, respectively, and by an optical focusing system. The analytical conditions used in the study of the decorations of maiolica samples include the following instrumental parameters: voltage, 40 kV; beam current, 500 lA; live time, 200 s; in addition, a Titanium primary filter (25 lm in thickness) was inserted between the anode and the samples in order to reduce the X-ray signal from the major compounds and so to improve the peak/background ratios for trace elements [4]. All analyses were carried out in vacuum conditions.…”

A New Approach for Provenance Studies of Archaeological Finds: Inferences from Trace Elements in Carbonate Minerals of Alpine White Marbles by a Bench-to-Top μ-XRF Spectrometer

“…It was, first, measured by ICP-OES and ICP-MS techniques, according to HCl 5% bulk rock dissolution method (CaO = 56 wt.%, Sr = 157 ppm, Fe = 64 ppm, and Mn = 10 ppm) and finally by multiple -XRF tests to check the homogeneity of the calcite grains. M43 calcite was then used to quantify the dolomite working standard (Dolo22 from the standards library of the SPI Supplies and the C. M. Taylor Company) using Fp-with standard method according to [28].…”

“…As -XRF technique is a prominent system for the nondestructive and/or noninvasive analysis of trace elements in glasses [28] and in minerals occurring in ornamental stones from cultural heritage [29,30], our attention has been focused on the provenance study of marbles used in antiquity by trace elements determination in the main carbonate mineral phase. Therefore, the multianalytical approach based on petrographic (optical and scanning electron microscope), electron microprobe, and stable isotope analysis on calcite and dolomite from white marbles occurring in Western Alps (Piedmont, Italy) reported by [20] has been integrated with trace elements analysis through -XRF.…”