Characterisation of fatty acids in drying oils used in paintings on canvas by GC and GC-MS analysis.
Of the various binding media used in paintings, this work examines drying oils. During the initial phase of polymerisation and the progressive ageing process, the fraction of unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids undergoes various changes (reticulation, oxidation, etc.), that give rise to characteristic compounds. Within a broader research project, aimed at the characterisation of binding media, a preliminary study was made of the ageing process of linseed oil. In this regard, linseed oil was spread on a glass or canvas support and then dried in the open air. The ageing of the spread linseed oil was monitored by taking samples of the material at regular intervals. After the fatty acids had changed into methylesters, the samples were analysed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results obtained have been reported as a ratio between the areas of the chromatographic peaks of the different fatty acids found.
Cartoni
G
G
Dipartimento di Chimica, Università La Sapienza, Roma. giampaolo.cartoni@uniroma1.it
Russo
M V
MV
Spinelli
F
F
Talarico
F
F
D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D049671:History, 18th Century; D007558:Italy; D008043:Linseed Oil / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000266:history; D010151:Paintings / Q000266:history*
D005227:Fatty Acids; D008043:Linseed Oil