Acquisition of a Mass Spectrometer for a Capillary High Performance Liquid Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer (LC/MS)

Museum Of Fine Arts, Boston MA

Investigators

Abstract

With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program, Dr. Richard Newman from the Museum of Fine Arts and colleague Richard Laursen (Boston University) will acquire a capillary liquid chromatograph (LC) interfaced with an ion trap-mass spectrometer. The award will enhance research training and education at all levels, especially in areas such as analyses of natural and synthetic dyestuffs used in cultural artifacts (including textiles, easel and wall paintings, and polychromed sculpture). The objectives of this project are to gain insights into the compounds that are found in the raw (plant) source material; to enable comparisons between these compounds and those actually present on test samples that have been dyed or colored with the natural materials using a variety of extraction and dyeing procedures; as well as to provide information to identify the dyestuffs on deteriorated artifacts in which original dye components may have been significantly altered. Mass spectrometers (MS) are used to identify the chemical composition of a sample by measuring the mass of the molecular constituents in the sample after they are ionized and detected. This instrument couples a capillary liquid chromatography system with the mass analysis ability. The liquid chromatograph separates minute volumes of mixtures of compounds extracted from the art pieces into its molecular components. These components then flow into a mass spectrometer where they are ionized and their masses determined. The instrumentation will be used not only for research that will help preserve art but also in laboratory courses at nearby Simmons College.