Minimally Invasive Liquid Microjunction Sampling to Identify Dye on a 17th Century Spanish Illuminated Manuscript

Common sampling methods for mass spectrometry such assectioningare undesirably damaging to cultural heritage objects. A liquid microjunctionsampling technique is developed that uses minimal solvent volume foranalysis. Painted illustrations on a 17th century parchment manuscriptfrom Spain were analyzed to identify the organic red pigment throughoutits pages. By extracting with 0.1 mu L solvent, the pigment wassupplied for direct infusion electrospray MS, and the resulting disruptionto the object surface was practically invisible to the naked eye.

Automated summary

Common sampling methods for mass spectrometry, such as sectioning, cause damage to cultural heritage objects. A new liquid microjunction sampling technique minimizes solvent usage for analysis. By using this technique, organic red pigment in painted illustrations on a 17th century parchment manuscript from Spain was identified without significant visible disruption to the object surface.