Abstract :
[en] Identification of prehistoric adhesives on stone tools is valuable as it might reveal something about tool use. Currently, prehistoric glues are chemically analysed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometer (GC-MS) which requires extraction and derivatization of the residues1. This is a major drawback as it is destructive for the glue and often, the required amount is not present. Moreover, the adhesives cover a wide range of materials (e.g., resin, animal glue, gum). Therefore, sensitive, universal, and non-destructive identification methods are needed. Headspace solid phase micro-extraction (HS-SPME) in combination with GC-MS and with comprehensive GC-time-of-flight mass spectrometer (HS-SPME-GCxGC-TOFMS) has been proposed2,3. But the sensitivity remains a problem.
In this study dynamic headspace (DHS)-GCxGC-TOFMS is tested on several adhesives and compared with HS-SPME-GCxGC-TOFMS. The DHS method is optimized and validated via design of experiment on pine resin and hide glue.
1. D. Cnuts, K. A. Perrault, P. H. Stefanuto, L. M. Dubois, J. F. Focant, and V. Rots, Archaeometry, 2018, 60, 1361.
2. K. A. Perrault, L. M. Dubois, D. Cnuts, V. Rots, J.-F. Focant, and P.-H. Stefanuto, Separation Science Plus, 2018, 1, 726.
3. M. Regert, V. Alexandre, N. Thomas, and A. Lattuati-Derieux, Journal of Chromatography A, 2006, 1101, 245.
