Micro-XRF Investigations of Chlorine-Containing Wood Preservatives in Art Objects

摘要

The applicability of energy-dispersive micro X-ray fluorescence (micro-XRF) spectrometry for the analysis of chlorine-containing wood preservatives in art objects was tested. At the present stage of development of the method, information about the relative degree of contamination and the efficacy of decontamination measures can be gained by using the intensity of the chlorine signals. The micro-XRF technique combines the advantages of high spatial resolution (about 100 μm spot size), needed in studies of penetration profiles of cut sections, and the ability to analyse larger areas in a relatively short time. The transportable set-up applied in these investigations was also used outside the laboratory. The degree of surface decontamination was determined non-destructively for the wooden scenery parts of a 'Theatrum Sacrum' from the cloister church of Neuzelle (Brandenburg, Germany).