Thin-Layer Chromatography for Binding Media Analysis

In the study and conservation of art and artifacts, natural organic materials are frequently encountered in components such as coatings, binders, and adhesives. Their identification is often crucial in the attempt to characterize the technologies employed by artists, understand the processes and causes of deterioration, and plan appropriate conservation treatments. Many analysis techniques are often too costly for conservation laboratories. Thin-layer chromatography can help fill the gap. This volume, the first in the Getty Conservation Institute's Scientific Tools for Conservation series, consists of a handbook, protocols, and a guide to reference materials. The handbook serves as a primer for the basic application of thin-layer chromatography to the analysis of coating, binders, and adhesives found on cultural objects; the protocols provide step-by-step instructions for procedures involved in typical analyses; and the guide aids in the understanding of the types of materials and documentation needed.