PYROLYSIS-GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY MASS-SPECTROMETRY AND FOURIER-TRANSFORM INFRARED-SPECTROSCOPY OF AMBER

Amber samples from archaeological objects belonging to the collection of the Museo Civico Archeologico of Bologna were analysed by pyrolysis/gas chromatography/(ion-trap) mass spectrometry (PY/GC/MS) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to assess the geographic origin of the fossil resin. Both techniques showed potential in the study of amber, because they require small sample amounts, virtually no sample preparation and provide a fingerprint which is highly diagnostic of the material under investigation. Typical pyrograms, mass spectra and FTIR spectra are shown and compared to those obtained from standard amber of known geographical origin. The usefulness of composite mass spectra, namely mass spectra obtained by summing all or part of the mass spectra acquired within the pyrogram, to create a library of PY/GC/MS data and to compare samples is evaluated.