Characterization of packaging materials and protection of cultural assets by uFTIR and SEM and chromatographic determination of VOCs in the materials and in spaces intended for the conservation of heritage.

Abstract

There is a growing concern in the field of conservation of cultural heritage to prevent and avoid potential damage on cultural property that is part of the collection of a museum. This property can be either directly exhibited, or stored in the museum’s reserves. Among several actions that can be taken to minimize the risks, the study of both the materials used for protection and packaging of cultural property and of the spaces intended for its exhibition and storage are fundamental. The objectives of this study are the characterization and determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in 17 materials used for protection and packaging of Cultural Property, and the determination of VOCs in the air of two spaces intended for the exhibition and storage of Cultural Property. The 17 materials have been characterized by Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (FTIRM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) techniques. Determination of VOCs has been carried out by headspace coupled to gas chromatography with detection by flame ionization and mass spectrometry (HS-GC-FID/MS). Gases emitted from the materials when heated for 5 h at 120 °C are studied by these techniques. The procedure followed is based on the Volkswagen PV 3341 test method. Determination of VOCs in spaces intended for the exhibition and storage of cultural property has been carried out by HS-GC-MS and GC-MS. VOCs are captured in passive samplers with different kinds of carbon as adsorbent material and are kept in contact with air for 27 days. Adsorbed compounds are desorbed with dimethylacetamide (DMA), and the resulting liquid extract is analyzed by HS-GC-MS and by direct injection in GC-MS to ensure detection of a wide range of volatilities. Application of these chromatographic methods to the samples of materials has allowed to calculate the amount of VOCs emitted by the 17 materials and to identify 23 different compounds. In the other hand, analysis of the passive samplers has allowed to identify 75 different compounds in the two sampling zones.