A brief review of mass spectrometry in cultural heritage

Proceedings of the Chemistry and Conservation Science

In the last decade the great development of mass spectrometry techniques made them ideal tools for the characterization of many materials containing either inorganic or organic compounds. Pigments in paints, main constituents of glass and ceramic objects, enamels and glazes can be characterized by inorganic mass spectrometry. Temperas, varnishes and adhesives can be studied by organic mass spectrometry; compounds as glycerides, proteins and sugars can also be easily analysed. Due to the diversity of mass spectrometry techniques almost any compound has a special method that can be used to characterize it. A brief introduction to mass spectrometry will be given, in particular a reference to the ion generation methods and their application to the different types of samples that a conservator can have in his/her hands when studying an artwork. A few applications in cultural heritage will be given.