Abstract: Recent studies in which X-ray beams of (sub)micrometre to millimetre dimensions have been used for non-destructive analysis and characterization of pigments, minute paint samples and/or entire paintings from fifteenth to twentieth century artists are discussed. The overview presented encompasses the use of laboratory and synchrotron radiation-based instrumentation and deals with the use of several variants of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) as a method of elemental analysis and imaging as well as with the combined use with X-ray diffraction (XRD). Microscopic XRF (μ-XRF) is a variant of the XRF method able to visualize the elemental distribution of key elements, mostly metals, on the scale from 1 μm to 100 μm present inside multi-layered micro samples taken from paintings. In the context of the characterization of artists’ pigments subjected to natural degradation, in many cases the use of methods limited to elemental analysis or imaging does not suffice to elucidate the chemical transformations that have taken place. However, at synchrotron facilities, combinations of μ-XRF with related methods such as μ-XAS (microscopic X-ray absorption spectroscopy) and μ-XRD have proven themselves to be very suitable for such studies. Since microscopic investigation of a relatively limited number of minute paint samples may not yield representative information about the complete artefact they were taken from, several methods for macroscopic, non-invasive imaging have recently been developed. Combined macroscopic XRF/XRD scanning is able to provide a fairly complete overview of the inorganic pigments employed to create a work of art, to answer questions about ongoing degradation phenomena and about its authenticity. As such these newly developed non-invasive and highly specific imaging methods are of interest for many cultural heritage stakeholders.

Abstract: Size-fractionated aerosol samples, collected over the Atlantic Ocean, were analyzed for up to 20 elements by PIXE. Using a sailboat as sampling platform, duplicate samples were taken for two-day periods by means of battery operated 6-stage cascade impactors, positioned about 8 m above the sea surface. In the PIXE analysis of the fine particle stages (stages 3 to 5) a 5 times smaller beam size was used than for stages 1 and 2. This led to significant improvement in the detection limits for the former stages. The results from the duplicate impactor samples were normally in good agreement, indicating that the combined uncertainty of sampling and PIXE analysis was of the order of 20%. The precision of the PIXE analysis alone was investigated by rebombarding some samples six months after the first analysis. The trends with time of the fine particle sulfur and the coarse particle iron concentrations are discussed in some detail.

Abstract: A first-principles study of the electric field gradient (EFG) calculated for ideal and In-111(Cd-111) implanted ZnO samples is reported in the present work. The study was made for ZnO ideal hexagonal structures and supercells were introduced in order to consider the possible implantation environments. The calculation was done using the “WIEN2k” code within the density functional theory, the exchange and correlation effects were determined by the GGA approximation. Three possible In-111(Cd-111) implantation configurations were studied, one substitutional incorporation at cation site and two interstitials. The obtained EFG values for the ideal structure and the substitutional site are in good agreement with the experimental reports measured by perturbed angular correlation (PAC) and high precision nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Thus, the ascription of substitutional incorporation of In-111(Cd-111) probe atom at the ZnO cation site after annealing was confirmed. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Abstract: Air particulate samples were collected at Chapiquiña near Arica (Chile) with a six-stage cascade impactor for about 17-day periods during a 31 month interval. Sixteen elements were determined by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis, and the elemental concentrations were subjected to principal factor analysis. The variability with time of the coarse particles was described by two factors both related to soil dispersion, whereas the fine particle variations could be explained by a third factor related to marine influence. Enrichment factors were compared with those obtained in other remote continental areas, in particular those of air particulate matter sampled at Chacaltaya, Bolivia. Results point to a negligible anthropogenic influence.