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Applications of Qualitative Trace Element Analyses: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Materials Conservation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2011

L.B. Sickels-Taves ,
M.S. Sheehan  and
G.D. White
L.B. Sickels-Taves
Affiliation:
Biohistory International, P.O. Box 597, Natchitoches, LA 71458
M.S. Sheehan
Affiliation:
Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, LA 71497
G.D. White
Affiliation:
Northwestern State University, Natchitoches, LA 71497
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Abstract

This interdisciplinary study was designed to learn the chemical constituency of organic residues found in tabby using nondestructive analytical techniques such as X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Particle Induced X-Ray Emission (PIXE). Important information pertaining to events of the past can be preserved in organic materials. The related disciplines of historic preservation and archaeology can benefit from the recovery of that information, especially when conducting collaborative research.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of these two techniques in their ability to characterize the chemical composition of tabby, a building material that incorporates large quantities of shell. Although useful qualitative data regarding the chemical composition of tabby was obtained using both methods, the best results were obtained using PIXE.

These results suggest that PIXE represents a viable and accurate alternative for compositional analysis of materials with an organic component commonly encountered by historic preservationists and archaeologists.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 462: Symposium DD – Materials Issues in Art and Archaeology V , 1996 , 323
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1997

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References

REFERENCES

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