In order to identify the organic constituent of ancient painted murals in southwest Texas, our laboratory is developing a chromatographic method to determine whether fatty acids were used as binders and/or vehicles. Modern paints samples made with deer bone marrow, yucca root, and mineral pigments mimic ancient paints. To determine how different radiocarbon sample preparation methods affect fatty acid levels, these modern paint samples were subjected to acid-base-acid and base washes, as well as a control of no pretreatment. Fatty acids were extracted with a cholorform:methanol solution in an ultrasonic water bath prior to ultra performance liquid chromatography with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer detector. Levels of myristic, palmitic, and stearic acids were above method detection limits for all paint samples and treatments. No statistical difference has been demonstrated among pretreatment methods. The results of this experiment suggest that for the analysis of fatty acids the different pretreatment methods do not affect measured levels.

UPLC-TQMS analysis of fatty acids in ancient pictographs

247th National Meeting (2014)

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