Output details

Determination of Arsenic, Mercury and Barium in herbarium mount paper using dynamic ultrasound-assisted extraction prior to atomic fluorescence and absorption spectrometry

Context

Colston has worked in collaboration with the National Museum Wales to develop a rapid screening method for the identification of historic biocide residues in museum plant collections. This paper aims to provide a better understanding of the mechanism of fluorescence formation during paper degradation and extraction.

Research

The aim was to determine if extraction and subsequent analysis would provide enhanced precision and sensitivity to establish a link between biocide content and the colour of the observed fluorescence. This is the first time that these novel techniques have been applied to complex museum material.

Process

Colston developed the novel scientific concepts, led the research analysis and evaluation, and transferal of new knowledge in the sector.

The science involved the quantitative extraction of heavy metals from herbarium mount sheets through specialist analytical procedures:

• Atomic fluorescence

• Absorption spectrometry

Insights/contribution

The research provided a highly sensitive methodology for analysis leading to two important insights defining the parameters from which our method might be extended:

• No link between mercury content and the colour of observed fluorescence

• No link between arsenic content and the presences of fluorescence

In discrediting an old method of hazard detection the research has informed museum treatments and policies relating to use and contact, through development of a new screening method.

Sharing

Research was shared with the museum sector through international conferences, seminars and workshops and through the HAMR website (www.hamr.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk), and internally through close engagement of conservators and scientists in the multidisciplinary Historic and Ancient Materials Research forum.

Contributors

The research described was carried out in collaboration with Cordoba University, Spain (Ruiz-Jimenez and Luque de Castro), who provided access to specialist equipment not available at Lincoln, and with PS Analytical (Chen and Corns), who provided support in the development of the extraction method.