Archaeometry and environmental mineralogy
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Responsible
Mario Paolieri, mario.paolieri@unifi.it +39(0)552757506/
Valentina Rimondi, valentina.rimondi@unifi.it +39(0)552757506/2478004
Description of the activity
The laboratory offers instruments and know-how to perform archaeometrical analysis of ancient manufacts and smelting products (e.g. metallurgical slags), and environmental studies in natural and anthropogenic contexts, especially considering the diffusion of contaminants such as arsenic (As),mercury (Hg), and antimony (Sb). For environmental investigations, we perform either total chemical analysis of different geological (water, fluvial particulate, sediment, soil and rock) or biological matrices and either sequential chemical extraction procedures following well-established protocols (e.g. Wenzel, Tessier, BCR) or user-specific extraction schemes. The lab performs also absorption-desorption experiment of environmentally relevant chemical elements (isotherm), and hydrogeochemical studies to determine the mass load of contaminants along fluvial sections (USGS, https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/1996/0245/report.pdf). Finally, element-specific instrumentations of the lab are able to perform Hg analysis at ultratrace level through thermal desorption, hence eliminating matrix interferences. Portable instrumentation (Lumex 915M) is available to perform monitoring campaigns of airborne Hg levels in natural and anthropized environments.
Instruments
- Portable instrument for airborne Hg analysis, Lumex 915M
- Sand bath
- Fume hood
- Direct mercury analyzer, Milestone DMA-80 evo
- Thermo Scientific ultra pure water system
- Microwave mineralizer Milestone CEM Mars-5
- Zeiss Microscope (reflected and trasmitted light) with 3 objectives
- Horizontal shaker Janke & Kunkel HS500
- Perkin Elmer ICP-OES Optima 8000 Spectrometer + HG
- Ultracentrifuge
How to access
Upon written request to Mario Paolieri and Valentina Rimondi
Usage costs
tariffe Archeometria e Min Ambientale 2020
How to cite
Analysis performed at the Archeometry and Environmental Mineralogy Lab of the Earth Sciences Department, Università degli Studi di Firenze
Last update
22.12.2021