Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Samantha Higgins, Dmitry Kurouski
Summary: This article introduces a new forensic analysis technique, SERS, which can be used to detect and identify colorants present on hair. The study found that SERS can accurately identify the color, brand, and type of various colorants, providing important information for forensic hair analysis.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Laurent Davin, Ludovic Bellot-Gurlet, Julien Navas
Summary: Our study reports the oldest reliable evidence of organic red pigment use 15,000 years ago by sedentary hunter-gatherers in the Levant. Through the analysis of red-stained shell beads, we identified the use of a colorant made from Rubiaceae plants roots for personal adornments by the Early Natufian people. This discovery broadens our understanding of ornamental practices and pigmenting materials during a crucial period in human history.
Article
Humanities, Multidisciplinary
Irene Barba Castagnaro, Antonello Nucera, Riccardo Cristoforo Barberi, Marco Castriota
Summary: The pigments used in majolicas made between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries in Gerace have been analyzed using micro-Raman spectroscopy. This study examined ten samples, including vases, majolica fragments, and vases of uncertain origin. Raman spectroscopic analysis identified the majority of the pigments used in these cultural heritage pottery, allowing for differentiation between artwork made in Gerace and elsewhere.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mackenzi Peterson, Dmitry Kurouski
Summary: The study investigates the potential of near-infrared Raman spectroscopy (NIRS) in the identification of dyes on fabric. Through the analysis of the vibrational fingerprints of 15 different dyes on cotton, NIRS enables highly accurate identification of dyes, opening up a new avenue for forensic analysis at crime scenes.
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Laura Fornasini, Simona Raneri, Stefano Legnaioli, Vincenzo Palleschi, Antonella Casoli, Silvia Simeti, Danilo Bersani
Summary: The church of San Francesco del Prato in Parma, Italy, is a Gothic masterpiece from the 13th century. It was not appreciated for its historical and monumental value due to its transformation into a jail. Recent restoration works revealed valuable frescoes and wall paintings from different periods.
EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL PLUS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xuanyi Wu, Santiago Sanchez-Cortes, Ioanna Kakoulli
Summary: A new biopigment based on carminic acid was discovered in the red crown feathers of the Ruby-crowned Kinglet, analyzed using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). SERS proved to be extremely sensitive and non-destructive for identifying different feather biopigments, even in trace quantities and in the presence of other predominant coloring substances.
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Miriam Pressato, Teresa Lanca, Catarina Miguel, Antonio Candeias, Sara Valadas
Summary: The National Museum of Ancient Art in Lisbon houses the most significant collection of Portuguese art, including a set of six 18th-century Chinese wallpaper panels. These panels depict porcelain production and were donated to the museum in 1949. This study conducted a non-invasive investigation of the panels using portable devices, revealing improper handling and poor conservation conditions. The study also identified the painting technique, main pigments, and their distribution, including the use of inorganic pigments and organic dyes.
EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL PLUS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Adele Ferretti, Ilaria Degano, Stefano Legnaioli, Beatrice Campanella, Aurora Sainati, Maria Perla Colombini
Summary: Throughout history, human beings have used writing as a means of communication and expression. This study focuses on the analysis of red inks produced in France during the late 19th to early 20th century. By utilizing various analytical techniques, the researchers were able to identify the dyes, pigments, binders, and additives used in these inks. The findings provide valuable insights into the early days of the synthetic dye industry.
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Jan Jehlicka, Howell G. M. Edwards, Aharon Oren
Summary: This review discusses the application of Raman spectroscopy in studying violet and brown pigments produced by microorganisms. Raman spectroscopy is a widely appreciated analytical tool in the field of microbiology and chemistry, and its recent developments have opened up new possibilities for studying microbial colonization in natural geobiological systems.
TRAC-TRENDS IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Lucia Cassani, Norma E. Marcovich, Andrea Gomez-Zavaglia
Summary: Carotenoids, natural pigments with bioactive properties, provide interesting alternatives to artificial colorants in the food industry. Green production of carotenoid-based colorants from agro-wastes is sustainable and environmentally friendly. Nanotechnological protection strategies are effective in preventing degradation of carotenoids and maintaining their bioactive properties, with significant impacts on bioaccessibility and bioavailability. Carotenoids also show promise in therapeutic and cosmeceutical applications due to their health-related properties.
FOOD RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yang Luo, Alberto Martin-Jimenez, Rico Gutzler, Manish Garg, Klaus Kern
Summary: Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) allows for the tracing of vibrational fingerprints of molecules and low-dimensional materials with subnanometer resolution. The localization of light in the plasmonic nanocavity of the STM enables high spatial resolution in STM-TERS. However, the temporal resolution is currently limited. In this study, stable TERS measurements were demonstrated from subphthalocyanine (SubPc) molecules excited by 500 fs long laser pulses in a low-temperature (LT) ultrahigh-vacuum (UHV) STM. The intensity of the TERS signal scales linearly with the increasing flux of the laser pulses and exponentially with the decreasing gap-size of the plasmonic nanocavity. Furthermore, the characteristic features of TERS excited with ultrashort pulses were compared with those excited with a continuous-wave (CW) laser.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Minoru Kawatani, Spencer J. Spratt, Hiroyoshi Fujioka, Jingwen Shou, Yoshihiro Misawa, Ryosuke Kojima, Yasuteru Urano, Yasuyuki Ozeki, Mako Kamiya
Summary: A photoactivatable Raman probe, 9-cyano-10-telluriumpyronin (9CN-TeP), was developed, which shows enhanced stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) intensity through photooxidation of the tellurium atom. By modifying the oxidation product to increase stability, a julolidine-like derivative, 9CN-diMeJTeP, was obtained with stronger SRS intensity and a bathochromic shift of the absorption spectrum.
CHEMISTRY-AN ASIAN JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Shota Takahashi, Atsunori Sakurai, Tatsuto Mochizuki, Toshiki Sugimoto
Summary: In this study, we achieved significant enhancement of the nonlinear optical response in a tip-substrate plasmonic nanocavity. By focusing on the near-field second harmonics of a wavelength-tunable femtosecond laser, we demonstrated that the enhancement of nonlinear optical effects occurs over a broad wavelength range from visible to infrared. We also discovered that the sharpness of the tip apexes and the surface geometry of the tip shafts both affect the broadband nonlinear optical property.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eric Boateng Osei, Liliia Paniushkina, Konrad Wilhelm, Juergen Popp, Irina Nazarenko, Christoph Krafft
Summary: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) ranging in size from 60 to 800 nm were isolated from plasma of control and prostate cancer patients using differential centrifugation and ultrafiltration techniques. Spontaneous Raman and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) were employed to identify fractions that best discriminate between control and cancer patients, with results showing that EV12 and EV120 fractions provide the most effective separation.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Enzo Cazzanelli, Danilo Grande, Carmen Rizzuto, Antonello Nucera, Riccardo Cristoforo Barberi, Marco Castriota
Summary: This study is of great significance in understanding the history and restoration of the crucifix. The analysis of pigments indicates that it was made between the 15th and 14th century, and also reveals the presence of recent restoration activities.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
Federica Pozzi, Julie Arslanoglu, Anna Cesaratto, Matthew Skopek
JOURNAL OF CULTURAL HERITAGE
(2019)
Article
Humanities, Multidisciplinary
Elena Basso, Federica Pozzi, Matthew C. Reiley
Article
Humanities, Multidisciplinary
Federica Pozzi, Julie Arslanoglu, Eleonora Nagy
Article
Humanities, Multidisciplinary
Federica Pozzi, Julie Arslanoglu, Francesca Galluzzi, Caroline Tokarski, Reba Snyder
Article
Humanities, Multidisciplinary
Federica Pozzi, Elena Basso, Monica Katz
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Federica Pozzi, Elena Basso, Reba Snyder
Summary: The Morgan Library & Museum in New York houses one of the world's largest and most prestigious collections of block books, mainly from the late 15th century Netherlands and Germany. These rare multi-page works are created entirely from hand-colored woodcuts, with both imagery and text carved in relief from a single block. Scientific analysis reveals that the polychrome imagery of these block books was achieved through a widespread use of mineral pigments and natural dyes, often applied in complex mixtures.
EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL PLUS
(2021)
Article
Humanities, Multidisciplinary
Federica Pozzi, Elena Basso, Samantha Alderson, Judith Levinson, Madeleine Neiman, Soraya Alcala
Summary: This article discusses the conservation and restoration work on a set of elaborately painted 19th-century Tsimshian house posts at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Through in-depth technical study, the chemical composition of the coatings and paints was revealed, and safe methods for removing or reducing surface coatings and grime were proposed to improve the legibility of the design and colors.
Article
Humanities, Multidisciplinary
Elena Basso, Federica Pozzi, Jessica Keister, Elizabeth Cronin
Summary: The article explores the use of original photographs in print during the late 19th to early 20th centuries, with a focus on photographs related to the Jackson-Harmsworth expedition. By analyzing the alterations and production process of these photographs, the research has enhanced our understanding of photography in extreme environments like the Arctic.
Editorial Material
Humanities, Multidisciplinary
Federica Pozzi, Elena Basso
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Federica Pozzi, Silvia A. Centeno, Federico Caro, Gillian McMillan, Lena Stringari, Vivien Greene
Summary: Manet's late portrait "Woman in Striped Dress" underwent significant alterations before it was displayed in the museum in 1965, likely to increase its market value. The technical study identified reductions in canvas size and varnishing campaigns, while also revealing possible posthumous retouchings. This investigation was essential in devising a suitable treatment plan to restore the original details and delicate brushwork of the composition.
Article
Humanities, Multidisciplinary
Federica Pozzi, Elena Basso, Silvia A. Centeno, Isabelle Duvernois, Julie Arslanoglu
Summary: The research on Carmen Herrera's work sheds light on her pioneering use of acrylic paints in post-war Europe and provides new insights into her materials, techniques, and studio practice. This study also assisted in the development of a treatment plan for one of her paintings in preparation for display at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's 150th anniversary exhibition.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Marco Gargano, Daniele Vigano, Tiziana Cavaleri, Francesco Cavaliere, Nicola Ludwig, Federica Pozzi
Summary: Since the 1960s, infrared reflectography has been used to visualize ancient paintings' underdrawings, and several successful scanning techniques and devices have been proposed. Scanning is necessary due to the small size of the sensors, typically ranging from 0.1 to 0.3 megapixels. Point, line, and image scanners are all viable options for obtaining high-resolution infrared images of the painting.
Article
Humanities, Multidisciplinary
Marcia Vieira, Paula Nabais, Rafael Javier Diaz Hidalgo, Maria J. Melo, Federica Pozzi
Summary: The Ajuda Songbook is a unique illuminated manuscript, created in the late thirteenth century to early fourteenth century, that represents the only surviving codex of Galician-Portuguese secular poetry. With its vibrant colors, particularly the lapis lazuli blue and brazilwood pink, the manuscript showcases a desire to produce a luxurious work. Scientific analysis revealed different formulations for the pink shades compared to later books and reconstructions, shedding light on the earliest known use of brazilwood in artworks. By reproducing the colors using infrared spectroscopy and applying chemometrics, the main ingredients of the pink paint were identified as calcium carbonate, lead white, and a polysaccharide binder resembling mesquite gum.
Article
Humanities, Multidisciplinary
Federica Pozzi, Elena Basso, Silvia A. Centeno, Louisa M. Smieska, Nobuko Shibayama, Roy Berns, Megan Fontanella, Lena Stringari
Summary: The Thannhauser Collection at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York features three paintings by Vincent van Gogh, which have undergone a scientific investigation revealing consistency in brushwork and artist's palette with other works by Van Gogh. The examination also highlighted changes and alterations in the paintings, shedding light on the artist's practice and providing important clues for his artistic development.
Article
Humanities, Multidisciplinary
Elena Basso, Federica Pozzi, Julia Day, Linda Borsch