Nuclear and Other Instrumental Analytical Techniques in Investigation of Cultural Heritage: Complementarity and Competitivity

Abstract

Nuclear analytical techniques (NATs), including INAA. XRF, PIXE, stable and radioisotopes, a, B, y-spectrometry, AMS, etc. have been applied to a wide range of cultural heritage materials with varying success. NATs featuring some intrinsic quality control aspects, such as multi-nuclide and isotope analysis, frequently serve as reference methods to cross-check critical results of other instrumental analytical techniques (ATs). As nuclear properties of elements are targeted, matrix problems seem to be negligible to a great extent. Other instrumental As either complement or compete NATs. Trace elements determination is the issue where these two groups of techniques most often interfere. While some NATs in trace element studies nowadays can be successfully replaced by AAS, ICP-OES or ICP-MS, a number of isotopie and elemental analyses are being done by NATs with no alternative.