Evaluation of Artifacts Produced by a Commercial Portable XRF Device and their Influence on the Analysis of Artworks
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5433/1679-0375.2025.v46.52708Keywords:
portable X-ray fluorescence, instrumental characterization, archaeometry, spectral interferencesAbstract
This study investigates the origin and impact of spectral interferences associated with the Bruker Tracer III portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectrometer, used by the authors for elemental characterization of cultural heritage objects. Systematic analyses were conducted on reference materials and on the sculpture Head of Apollo from the Eva Klabin House Museum, Rio de Janeiro, facilitating the detection of instrumental peaks and improving the accuracy of qualitative analyses by minimizing instrument-derived interferences. Measurements were carried out under controlled conditions, both with and without the spectrometer’s radiation protection shield, using fixed operational parameters (40 kV, 35 μA and 60 s). The resulting spectra revealed peaks attributable to the instrument’s structural components. With the shield in place, elements such as Ca, Ti, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb were detected. In the absence of the shield, the peaks corresponding to Ca, Zn, and Pb were suppressed, although interferences from the remaining elements persisted.
Downloads
References
Andrić, V., Gajić-Kvaščev, M., Crkvenjakov, D. K., Marić-Stojanović, M., & Gadžurić, S. (2021). Evaluation of pattern recognition techniques for the attribution of cultural heritage objects based on the qualitative XRF data. Microchemical Journal, 167, 106267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2021.106267 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.microc.2021.106267
Calza, C. (2013). Análise científica de obras de arte e objetos de valor histórico-cultural. In W. Barja (Org.), Gestão Museológica: questões teóricas e práticas (pp. 97–108). Câmara dos Deputados. https://bd.camara.leg.br/bd/bitstream/handle/bdcamara/14257/gestao_museologica_questoes.pdf?sequence=5
Casa Museu Eva Klabin. (2024). Head of Apollo. http://evaklabin.provisorio.ws/visitavirtual/
Celik, M. Y., & Sert, M. (2020). The importance of “Pavonazzetto marble” (Docimium-Phrygia/Iscehisar-Turkey) since ancient times and its properties as a global heritage stone resource. Environmental Earth Sciences, 79(9), 201. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-020-08943-2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-020-08943-2
Felix, V. S., & Pereira, M. O. (2021). Analysis of painting Victor Meirelles’ “Passagem de Humaitá” by XRF. Brazilian Journal of Radiation Sciences, 9(1A), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.15392/bjrs.v9i1A.1371 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15392/bjrs.v9i1A.1371
Ferretti, M., & Tirello, R. A. (2009). Princípios e aplicações de espectroscopia de fluorescência de Raios X (FRX) com instrumentação portátil para estudo de bens culturais. Revista CPC, (7), 74–98. https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.1980-4466.v0i7p74-98 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.1980-4466.v0i7p74-98
Franzi, I. V. N. D. S., Paula, A. G. D., Cavalcante, J. E., Borges, R. M. D. P. S., Gomes, R. A. F., Oliveira, D. F. D., & Lopes, R. T. (2024). On-Site X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis of Sculptures of the Archdiocesan Museum of Sacred Art of Rio de Janeiro’s Collection. X-Ray Spectrometry, 54(4), 366–377. https://doi.org/10.1002/xrs.3467 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/xrs.3467
Gallhofer, D., & Lottermoser, B. G. (2018). The influence of spectral interferences on critical element determination with portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF). Minerals, 8(8), 320. https://doi.org/10.3390/min8080320 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/min8080320
Laperche, V., & Lemière, B. (2020). Possible pitfalls in the analysis of minerals and loose materials by portable XRF, and how to overcome them. Minerals, 11(1), 33. https://doi.org/10.3390/min11010033 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/min11010033
Liss, B., & Stout, S. (2017). Materials characterization for cultural heritage: XRF case studies in archaeology and art. In M. Vincent, V. López-Menchero Bendicho, M. Ioannides, & T. Levy (Eds.), Heritage and Archaeology in the Digital Age (pp. 49–65). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65370-9_3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65370-9_3
Magrini, D., Attanasio, D., Bracci, S., Cantisani, E., & Prochaska, W. (2018). Innovative application of portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to identify Göktepe white marble artifacts. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 10, 1141–1152. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-016-0444-7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-016-0444-7
Marguí, E., Queralt, I., & de Almeida, E. (2022). X-ray fluorescence spectrometry for environmental analysis: Basic principles, instrumentation, applications and recent trends. Chemosphere, 303(1), 135006. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135006 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.135006
Moioli, P., & Seccaroni, C. (2000). Analysis of art objects using a portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. X-Ray Spectrometry: An International Journal, 29(1), 48–52. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1097-4539(200001/02)29:1<48::AID-XRS404>3.0.CO;2-H DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1097-4539(200001/02)29:1<48::AID-XRS404>3.0.CO;2-H
Osman, E. (2020). Spectrometry as a non-destructive technique in identifying cultural archaeological heritage: Some case studies illustrating ‘characterization without devastation’. In A. K. Shukla (Ed.), Spectroscopic Techniques for Archaeological and Cultural Heritage Research (2nd ed., pp. 1–9). IOP Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1088/978-0-7503-2616-2ch1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/978-0-7503-2616-2ch1
Poretti, G., Brilli, M., de Vito, C., Conte, A. M., Borghi, A., Günther, D., & Zanetti, A. (2017). New considerations on trace elements for quarry provenance investigation of ancient white marbles. Journal of Cultural Heritage, 28, 16–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2017.04.008 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2017.04.008
Sitko, R., & Zawisza, B. (2012). Quantification in X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. In S. K. K. Sharma (Ed.), X-ray spectroscopy (pp. 137–162). IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/29367 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5772/29367
Vaggelli, G., Serra, M., Cossio, R., & Borghi, A. (2014). A New Approach for Provenance Studies of Archaeological Finds: Inferences from Trace Elements in Carbonate Minerals of Alpine White Marbles by a Bench-to-Top μ-XRF Spectrometer. International Journal of Mineralogy, 2014(1), 217916. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/217916 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/217916
Van Grieken, R., & Markowicz, A. (2001). Handbook of X-ray Spectrometry. CRC Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1201/9780203908709
Wang, Z., Zhang, Z., Wang, F., & Liu, J. (2022). A pXRF-based approach to identifying the material source of stone cultural relics: a case study. Minerals, 12(2), 199. https://doi.org/10.3390/min12020199 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/min12020199
Xrayweb. (2025). IXAS X-ray data for the elements. https://xraydb.xrayabsorption.org/element/
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Roberta Manon de Paula Sales Borges, Josiane Emerich Cavalcante, Isis Verona Nascimento da Silva Franzi, Anderson Gomes de Paula, Evelyne Azevedo, Ricardo Tadeu Lopes, Davi Ferreira de Oliveira
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
The Copyright Declaration for articles published in this journal is the author's right. Since manuscripts are published in an open access Journal, they are free to use, with their own attributions, in educational and non-commercial applications. The Journal has the right to make, in the original document, changes regarding linguistic norms, orthography, and grammar, with the purpose of ensuring the standard norms of the language and the credibility of the Journal. It will, however, respect the writing style of the authors. When necessary, conceptual changes, corrections, or suggestions will be forwarded to the authors. In such cases, the manuscript shall be subjected to a new evaluation after revision. Responsibility for the opinions expressed in the manuscripts lies entirely with the authors.
This journal is licensed with a license Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.
Funding data
-
Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia da Criosfera
Grant numbers 406303/2022-3