Ion Beam Induced Luminescence capabilities for the analysis of coarse-grained river sediments.

In this work the Ion Beam Induced Luminescence (IBIL) capabilities for the analysis of geological mobile sediment samples from the beds of three major rivers flowing in the Veneto Region (North-Eastern Italy) is presented in the first application of this technique to characterize such samples. Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS) spectra were also measured and discussed to give indications for the identification of the main luminescence features. The evolution of the different IBIL components with the irradiation dose was studied and their correlation to matrix defects outlined. Finally, a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of the IBIL evolving spectra was performed to verify the capability of this approach to discriminate among the different samples.

Isotopic analysis of lead present in the cinnabar of Roman wall paintings from the Xth Regio "(Venetia et Histria)" by ICP-MS.

The analysis of Roman wall paintings coming from Verona, Vicenza, Padova, Pordenone and Trieste evidentiated the presence of cinnabar. In this work, the isotopic composition (206)Pb, (207)Pb and (208)Pb of trace of lead present in cinnabar is reported, via ICP-MS measurements. The isotopic ratio values are compared with the values obtained from samples coming from Roman wall paintings of Pompeii and from the mines of Almaden (Spain) Monte Amiata (Grosseto Italy) and Idria (Slovenia). All the isotopic data can be represented by a "field" ranging from Huelva, to Almeria Spanish provinces. This trend could be due to the mixing of cinnabar products treated in Rome.

Analysis of mural paintings in Istria.

Fragments of wall paintings from Istria, coming from the Basilica of Guran near Vodnjan, from the cemeterial Church of Saint Simeon in Guran and from the Benedictine monastery of Santa Maria Alta near Bale were studied. The analytical instrumental techniques used were Optical Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy equipped with an EDS microanalysis detector, X Ray diffraction, FTIR infrared Spectroscopy and Raman Spectroscopy. Red and yellow pigments used in Guran and Bale have bean derived from red and yellow istrian bauxites, as already demonstrated for works from 11th to 15th century. The blue pigment found in the paintings of the Bale Chapel is a lapislazzuli blue; this fact confirms the literature data referring to the period from 11th to the 16th century. The materials and pigments used at Bale and Guran fit with the Istrian tradition and history of painting going back to the first Carolingian period.

An EPR study on ancient and newly synthesised Egyptian blue.

Two sets of ancient Roman Egyptian blue (EB) samples and one set of EB samples synthesised in our lab, were analysed by EPR spectroscopy, a technique not commonly used in this field. The spectroscopic parameters obtained were used to attempt the discrimination of the provenance and of the manufacturing techniques of the investigated samples. The results obtained show that EPR technique could be very useful for this purpose. Furthermore, the similarity of the obtained parameters between the ancient and new samples testify the successful attempt to reproduce the EB according to the chemical knowledge.

Analysis of Roman age wall paintings found in Pordenone, Trieste and Montegrotto.

The aim of the present work is the study of many fragments of wall painting from archaeological excavations in three different Roman age sites dating back to the I Century before Common Era: Pordenone (località Torre); Trieste (Crosada) and Padova (Montegrotto). The techniques used were optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), equipped with a EDS microanalysis detector, X-rays powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy (FT-Raman) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The identified pigments were: cinnabar, hematite, celadonite, glauconite, cuprorivaite (Egyptian blue), yellow and red ochre, calcite, limonite, coal black. In general, the mortar preparation did not correspond to the complex procedure suggested by Vitruvius (De Architectura), but generally showed a porous layer, with crushed grains under the pigment layer. In some cases, two superimposed pigment layers were found: yellow superimposed on both red and pink, black on pink, green on black. The slight differences we found in the use of the pigments in the three studied sites might show that the same technology, culture and taste spread all over the Roman Empire in North Eastern Italy (X(a) Regio Venetia et Histria).

Analysis of pigments from Roman wall paintings found in Vicenza.

The analysis of about 60 samples of wall paintings was carried out using different chemicophysical techniques: optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with an EDS microanalysis detector, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The identified pigments were cinnabar, hematite, red ochre, celadonite, cuprorivaite (Egyptian blue), yellow ochre, goethite and carbon. Only in one case some lead white was found instead. In general, the mortar preparation did not correspond to the complex structure suggested by Vitruvius (De Architectura), but it generally showed a porous layer, with crushed grains under the pigment layer. In certain cases two superposed pigment layers were found: yellow superimposed on both red and pink, black on pink, green on black.

Amperometric monitoring of bacteria-induced milk acidity using a platinum disc microelectrode.

The acidity induced by the action of bacteria in milk samples was monitored amperometrically by using a platinum microelectrode. The measurements were performed directly on commercial packs of milk, stored at 32 degrees C, and were continued for 9-10 d after inoculation. The data were compared with those obtained by measuring the pH of the samples and the results are discussed on the basis of the metabolism of each bacterial species. The effects of the following bacteria were examined: Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Streptococcus faecalis, Bacillus subtilis, Aeromonas, and Corynebacterium.

Determination of trace amounts of thorium by electroanalytical techniques.

Trace amounts of thorium have been determined in the presence of uranyl nitrate and ammonium diuranate (as interferents) by cyclic voltammetry, differential-pulse polarography, differential-pulse voltammetry, square-wave voltammetry and anodic-stripping voltammetry. The determination is based on the substitution of thorium for copper, lead and cadmium in their EDTA complexes and voltammetric measurement of the displaced metal ion. The detection limits ranged between 2 x 10(-7) and 1 x 10(-6)M (r.s.d. 2-7%) for solutions free from the uranium compounds, and between 8 x 10(-7) and 5 x 10(-6)M (r.s.d. 3-5%) in the presence of the uranium compounds at concentrations up to about 1000 times that of thorium. The detection limits depend on both the particular technique and the EDTA complex employed. Anodic-stripping voltammetry gave detection limits of 8 x 10(-8) and 10(-7)M in the absence and presence of uranium respectively.