A multi-analytical approach for the characterization of modern white paints used for Argentine concrete art paintings during 1940-1960.

Modern art has challenged many aspects of the analytical approaches that are typically used for traditional paint characterization and ageing studies. The paint industry has changed significantly throughout the twentieth century, frequently altering its manufacturing techniques in order to achieve paints with improved appearance, application and performance for a range of diverse household, industrial and artistic uses. This has led to the appearance and use of a multitude of new binding media, pigments and additives, most of which require new analytical methods for their identification.

Assessment of Mn deposition on Earth via accelerator mass spectrometry.

The Mn flux onto Earth is a quantity relevant for different extraterrestrial and astrophysical questions. It is a proxy for related fluxes, such as supernova-produced material or interplanetary dust particles. In this work, we performed a first attempt to assess the Mn flux by measuring the Mn/Be isotopic ratio in a 1400 L sample of molten Antarctic snow by AMS (Accelerator Mass Spectrometry).

(129)I dispersion in Argentina: concentrations in fresh and marine water and deposition fluences in Patagonia.

Measurements of total iodine (I) and iodine-129 ((129)I) concentrations in rivers and lakes of Argentina are presented. Their latitudinal distribution can be explained by taking into account their main sources (oceanic emissions and biomass burning for I, and atmospheric nuclear tests for (129)I), transport mechanisms, and fallout patterns. From the measured (129)I concentrations in the studied lakes, deposition fluences for their catchment areas were estimated.