A team of Japanese scientists has developed a method for analysing the identity of a lacquer source using lithium ion (Li

Japanese lacquer is known to be one of the best ancient coating techniques in the world, and by identifying the lacquer source the results can help to determine its origin.

The team investigated the pyrolysis of Japanese lacquer films through temperature-programmed heating using direct probe-Li

IAMS. Among the pyrolysis products detected, carboxylic acids, phenols, catechols and aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons were the most common.

The team compared their results with those of a previous pyrolysis/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry study of Japanese lacquer samples. The comparison demonstrated significant differences between the two techniques in terms of the products and their distributions in the Japanese lacquer films. They concluded that their approach offered the opportunity to directly study the pyrolysis processes occurring in complex natural materials. It also suggested a way to determine the identity of a lacquer source by identifying different types of lacquer monomer.

Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis

Articles

News

A team of Japanese scientists has developed a method for analysing the identity of a lacquer source using lithium ion (Li+) attachment mass spectrometry (Li+IAMS).

Lacquered up

A rapid method has been developed for detecting ethyl carbamate (EC) in alcohol.

 EC is present in a range of alcohols and is potentially carcinogenic to humans.

The team extracted EC using liquid-liquid extraction technique. They then silylated with bis-(trimethylsilyl)trifuoroacetamide and finally analysed the sample by GC–MS. Isopropyl carbamate was used as the internal standard for quantitative analysis of the sample. The optimum extraction conditions of pH = 9 and ethyl acetate as the solvent were used. A derivatization reaction temperature of 80 ºC and a duration of 30 min was also employed.

The study was carried out on 35 kinds of alcoholic samples and it was concluded that the technique was a fast, reliable and low-cost method for the determination of EC in alcohol.

, doi:10.1002/  	    jssc.201100526 (2012).

Alcohol determination

A group of researchers has conducted an investigation into the degradation process of proteinaceous binders due to ultra violet (UV) light in old works of art.

 The impact of this investigation for conservation and restoration efforts is considerable.

Three different medieval paint model samples were prepared according to original recipes, using rabbit glue as proteinaceous binders. One sample contained only the binder, while the other two were prepared by mixing each of the pigments (cinnabar or azurite) with the binder (glue temera model samples).

The samples were aged over 3000 h of UV radiation and were analysed every 200 h to mark the progression of the study. The samples were studied by applying principal component analysis (PCA) on matrix‑assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). The team noted significant changes in the samples and the results suggested different ageing behaviour based on the pigment present.

The team concluded that this first study of PCA on MALDI-TOF-MS can assist in the future restoration of works of art.

Restoration art

Comprehensive GC×GC(MS) and LC×LC(MS) are chromatographic hyphenation methods providing the users with extremely large peak capacities. This article describes the data processing of data acquired with comprehensive GC×GC(qMS) using ChromSquare software and the GCMS-QP2010 Ultra high-speed quadrupole with up to 100 spectra/sec and a maximum scanning speed of 20 000 amu/sec. 

Comprehensive GC×GC(MS) and LC×LC(MS) are chromatographic hyphenation methods providing the users with extremely large peak capacities.

Data Processing with Comprehensive GC×GC(qMS)

Migraines and chronic daily headaches can have a debilitating effect on day-to-day life. By using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) it has been found that iron accumulation in the brain has been correlated with both the duration of illness and the frequency of attacks.

A group of scientists have now carried out an experiment to measure the relationship between iron deposition in basal ganglia and pain regulatory nuclei in both neurologically healthy control volunteers and in patients with differing migraine subtypes.

 The team hoped to evaluate the tradeoff between sensitivity and specificity in T2 imaging of patients with migraine, and found that only T2 imaging in the globus pallidus was able to distinguish between episodic and chronic migraine, which suggests that this technique may be the most appropriate to assess migraine frequency. Patients with medication overuse headache (MOH) did not demonstrate T2’ shortening. As iron accumulation should cause shortening of both T2 and T2’ it was concluded that something other than increased iron deposition could be playing a role in MOH.

Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain

Migraine pain

Are you plagued by the phrase, “I just haven’t had time…?” Incognito asks how much more productive we would be if only we had the time.

Are you plagued by the phrase, 'I just haven't had time...?' Incognito asks how much more productive we would be if only we had the time.

Get Yourself a Time Machine...

The monomer bisphenol A (BPA) is used to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins and has been present in many plastic bottles and metal food and drinks cans since the 1960s.