Quantitative determination of un-derivatised amino acids in artistic mural paintings using high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization triple quadrupole mass spectrometry.
The tempera painting technique is one of the most common methods used throughout art history. Tempera is defined by the type of binders used and in this work we study protein-based temperas. Proteinaceous binders can be characterized by the chromatographic determination of the amino acids present where techniques are either based on gas chromatography or high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to mass spectrometry. The objective of this work was to develop a derivatisation-free HPLC method with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometric detection (HPLC/ESI-MS/MS) of 21 amino acids contained in the protein-based binders of tempera paints. The analytical method identifies the painting techniques of two contemporary artists: Sironi and DeLuigi. The sample data are compared to painting material standards. The results show that the samples from works by DeLuigi contain mainly animal glue binders, while the samples from Sironi paintings contain binders that are an amino acid mixture with an overall composition between that of eggs and casein.
Zangrando
Roberta
R
Institute for the Dynamics of Environmental Processes-CNR, 30123 Venice, Italy.
Piazza
Rossano
R
Cairns
Warren R L
WR
Izzo
Francesca C
FC
Vianello
Alvise
A
Zendri
Elisabetta
E
Gambaro
Andrea
A
D000269:Adhesives / Q000737:chemistry; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D002364:Caseins / Q000737:chemistry; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004531:Eggs / Q000032:analysis; D010151:Paintings; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods*
D000269:Adhesives; D000596:Amino Acids; D002364:Caseins