Characterization of Organic Materials in Wall Paintings in Bulgaria: A Multi-analytical Approach

Abstract

The identification of organic materials in cultural heritage objects is crucial for elucidating historical artistic practices and for designing appropriate conservation strategies. This study presents an integrated analytical protocol for the characterization of organic materials in wall paintings through the combined application of complementary analytical techniques. The performance of the proposed approach is demonstrated through several case studies of Bulgarian monuments. The findings indicate that a combination of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and analytical pyrolysis coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) facilitates the reliable identification of organic materials, even in minimal samples.