Development of new analytical methods for the characterization of organic components in art and archeological samples

Heritage science is an interdisciplinary field focused on studying and preserving cultural heritage. It examines diverse materials, focusing on complex and heterogeneous materials—from textiles to ancient remains, to reconstruct the past. Indeed, environmental factors altered ancient materials through chemical, physical, and biological processes. The organic fraction, particularly proteins, crucial in paleoarchaeology, reveal past diets, health, and evolution, while in art, they aid restoration and historical analysis. Ancient protein studies recover, identify, and analyze proteins long after their natural lifespan has ended. Thereby, it requires methods that balance preservation with deeper insight into deterioration. These approaches advance conservation science, ensuring the longevity and integrity of archaeological and heritage materials. This PhD research focused on developing a fast, non-destructive in-situ approach for prescreening organic materials across various applications, including collagen conservation in archaeological bones, diagenesis studies, and thermal degradation assessment. By integrating Near-Infrared (NIR) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies, valuable ancient remains were analyzed without direct damage. While pFTIR and microNIR individually provided incomplete data, their combination improved collagen detection. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) further enhanced data interpretation. Additionally, analyzing free amino acids (FAAs) in dental enamel from fossil and modern samples offered new insights into FAA behaviour in a closed system. This method detected FAAs in all samples using only ~1 mg of enamel powder, advancing amino acid preservation studies. From an art diagnostic perspective, integrating non-destructive and micro-destructive techniques effectively identified materials in two artworks: The Byzantine textile Velo di Classe and the contemporary mural Angry Christ. This approach preserved artefact integrity while enhancing material characterization, historical understanding, and conservation strategies.