X-ray fluorescence analysis of contemporary metal sculptures.

IF 6.7 1区化学 Q1 CHEMISTRY, ANALYTICAL

Talanta Pub Date : 2026-12-01 Epub Date: 2026-06-16 DOI:10.1016/j.talanta.2026.130167

Leonardo S G Teixeira, Gianni Gallello, Miguel de la Guardia

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

A portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (pXRF) has been employed to study the composition of contemporary metal sculptures. The equipment calibration was verified against a reference material and by using circulating coins with compositions declared by central banks. It was shown that coins can serve as a cheaper alternative for verifying the accuracy of XRF measurements. The analyses of 14 sculptures revealed that the same object can exhibit parts with markedly different compositions, particularly when these parts are independent and perform different functions within the artwork. On the other hand, a tendency towards compositional homogeneity was observed across the main body of the same artwork, consistent with the use of a single metal alloy in the sculpture's manufacture. Furthermore, it was not possible to establish unequivocal compositional characteristics for works attributed to the same artist, and it was found that certified limited-edition sculptures exhibited high-quality bronze, whereas other works did not adhere to a specific metal-alloy standard, reflecting different manufacturing processes. It has been confirmed that compositional analysis of sculptures using pXRF can be important for the certification and authentication of these artworks, as well as for evaluating material quality and potential restorations.

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当代金属雕塑的x射线荧光分析。

便携式x射线荧光光谱仪（pXRF）被用来研究当代金属雕塑的成分。设备校准是根据参考物质和使用流通硬币与中央银行宣布的成分进行验证。研究表明，硬币可以作为验证XRF测量准确性的更便宜的替代方法。对14件雕塑的分析表明，同一件物品可以展示具有明显不同组成的部分，特别是当这些部分在艺术品中是独立的并且具有不同的功能时。另一方面，在同一件艺术品的主体上观察到一种构图同质的趋势，这与雕塑制造中使用单一金属合金的情况一致。此外，不可能为同一艺术家的作品建立明确的构图特征，并且发现经过认证的限量版雕塑展示了高质量的青铜，而其他作品则没有遵循特定的金属合金标准，反映了不同的制造工艺。已经证实，使用pXRF对雕塑进行成分分析对于这些艺术品的认证和认证，以及评估材料质量和潜在修复非常重要。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Talanta 化学-分析化学

CiteScore

12.30

自引率

4.90%

发文量

861

审稿时长

29 days

期刊介绍： Talanta provides a forum for the publication of original research papers, short communications, and critical reviews in all branches of pure and applied analytical chemistry. Papers are evaluated based on established guidelines, including the fundamental nature of the study, scientific novelty, substantial improvement or advantage over existing technology or methods, and demonstrated analytical applicability. Original research papers on fundamental studies, and on novel sensor and instrumentation developments, are encouraged. Novel or improved applications in areas such as clinical and biological chemistry, environmental analysis, geochemistry, materials science and engineering, and analytical platforms for omics development are welcome. Analytical performance of methods should be determined, including interference and matrix effects, and methods should be validated by comparison with a standard method, or analysis of a certified reference material. Simple spiking recoveries may not be sufficient. The developed method should especially comprise information on selectivity, sensitivity, detection limits, accuracy, and reliability. However, applying official validation or robustness studies to a routine method or technique does not necessarily constitute novelty. Proper statistical treatment of the data should be provided. Relevant literature should be cited, including related publications by the authors, and authors should discuss how their proposed methodology compares with previously reported methods.