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Complementary analysis to de-convolute co-located contaminants in marine archaeological bricks

Grethe, Rebecca, Etherdo-Sibley, Kevin J.W., Tang, Chiu, Day, Sarah, Arnold, Donna C., Schofield, Eleanor (2022) Complementary analysis to de-convolute co-located contaminants in marine archaeological bricks. Journal of Cultural Heritage, 55 . pp. 221-227. ISSN 1296-2074. (doi:10.1016/j.culher.2022.02.013) (KAR id:94039)

Abstract

Marine archaeological artefacts contain unexpected compounds due to prolonged exposure to the sea. These can remain dormant and embedded within materials until a change in their surrounding environment, such as exposure to oxygen, prompts a transformation. These changes can pose a problem, as acidic compounds are formed which disintegrate the material, or crystals form which physically break the artefact apart. The extent of these transformations is highly heterogeneous due to its dependence on the ability for oxygen to reach and catalyse these reactions. Additionally, these transformations are heavily dependent on the environment the artefact is exposed to, and the pathways available for ingress, either naturally or through previous degradation. This results in materials with a range of different compounds which are often co-located on the macro, micro and nano-scale. Trying to de-convolute these compounds is challenging, and usually requires a suite of complementary techniques to achieve. Here we report on damaging salts found within marine archaeological bricks and show how it is only possible to qualitatively and quantitatively understand what is present by employing a range of analytical techniques, such as XRD, SEM-EDS and SR-XPD. The marine archaeological bricks studied were found to contain a range of different sulfate-based salts, which had grown crystals in preferred orientations. This provides information which will guide further conservation strategies such as how these bricks are stored, conserved and protected in the future.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1016/j.culher.2022.02.013
Uncontrolled keywords: Archaeological bricks, Conservation, Mary Rose, Scanning Electron Microscopy – Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy, X-ray Powder Diffraction, Synchrotron techniques
Subjects: Q Science
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Physics and Astronomy
Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Chemistry and Forensics
Depositing User: Donna Arnold
Date Deposited: 19 Apr 2022 08:37 UTC
Last Modified: 04 Jul 2023 13:10 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/94039 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Etherdo-Sibley, Kevin J.W..

Creator's ORCID:
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Arnold, Donna C..

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0239-5790
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