Sulfur accumulation in the timbers of King Henry VIII's warship Mary Rose: a pathway in the sulfur cycle of conservation concern.
In marine-archaeological oak timbers of the Mary Rose large amounts of reduced sulfur compounds abound in lignin-rich parts such as the middle lamella between the cell walls, mostly as thiols and disulfides, whereas iron sulfides and elemental sulfur occur in separate particles. Synchrotron-based x-ray microspectroscopy was used to reveal this environmentally significant accumulation of organosulfur compounds in waterlogged wood. The total concentration of sulfur in reduced forms is approximately 1 mass % throughout the timbers, whereas iron fluctuates up to several mass %. Conservation methods are being developed aiming to control acid-forming oxidation processes by removing the reactive iron sulfides and stabilizing the organosulfur compounds.
Sandström
Magnus
M
Department of Structural Chemistry, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden. magnuss@struc.su.se
Jalilehvand
Farideh
F
Damian
Emiliana
E
Fors
Yvonne
Y
Gelius
Ulrik
U
Jones
Mark
M
Salomé
Murielle
M
D001106:Archaeology / Q000379:methods; D058085:Iron Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D012767:Ships; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; D013457:Sulfur Compounds / Q000032:analysis*; D017356:Synchrotrons; D014934:Wood
D058085:Iron Compounds; D013457:Sulfur Compounds