Advanced mapping of inorganic treatments on porous carbonate stones by combined synchrotron radiation high lateral μXRPD and μXRF.

Understanding the effects of consolidating inorganic mineral treatments on carbonate stones of cultural heritage, and on the nature and distribution of newly formed products within the matrix, poses a significant challenge in Heritage Science and Conservation Science. Existing analytical methods often fail to deliver spatial and compositional insights into the newly formed crystalline phases with the appropriate high lateral resolution. In this study, we explore the capabilities and limitations of synchrotron radiation (SR) micro-X-ray powder diffraction (μXRPD) mapping combined with micro-X-ray fluorescence (μXRF) to give insight into compounds formed following the application of ammonium oxalate (AmOx) and diammonium phosphate-based (DAP) solutions on porous carbonate stone.

Synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction computed tomography (XRDCT): a new tool in cultural heritage and stone conservation for 3D non-destructive probing and phase analysis of inorganic re-treatments.

The issue of preserving carbonatic stones of cultural heritage (CH) restored in the past that have undergone new decay phenomena is strongly emerging and conservation science has not yet found a reliable solution. In this paper, we propose the application of synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction computed tomography (XRDCT) to explore the effects of using inorganic-mineral products (ammonium oxalate; ammonium phosphate) in sequence as a novel, compatible and effective re-treatment approach to consolidate decayed carbonatic stones already treated with inorganic-mineral treatments. High-quality XRDCT datasets were used to qualitatively/quantitatively investigate and 3D localize the complex mixture of crystalline phases formed after the conservation re-treatments within a porous carbonatic stone substrate.

Synchrotron X-ray diffraction computed tomography to non-destructively study inorganic treatments for stone conservation.

The characterization of consolidating products formed by conservation treatments within Cultural Heritage (CH) materials is a burning issue and an analytical challenge, as non-destructive approaches, phase analysis, and volume distribution analysis are simultaneously required. This paper proposes the use of synchrotron X-ray diffraction computed tomography (XRDCT) to non-destructively study diammonium hydrogen phosphate (DAP) consolidating treatments for stone conservation. The mineralogical composition and localization of crystalline phases formed in a complex mixture have been explored and spatially resolved.

Influence of speciation distribution and particle size on heavy metal leaching from MSWI fly ash.

Fly ash from municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI-FA) contains leachable heavy metals. In the present study the correlations between heavy metal content, particle size, speciation distribution with respect to water leaching are investigated, using a combination of solid-state bulk analytical techniques, leaching treatments, sequential extractions and thermodynamic geochemical modelling. Among the analyzed heavy metals, Zn and Pb are the most abundant in any grain size class, followed by Cu, Cr, Cd and Ni, with concentration that tends to increase with a decrease of the grain size.

A compact and flexible induction furnace for in situ X-ray microradiograhy and computed microtomography at Elettra: design, characterization and first tests.

A compact and versatile induction furnace for in situ high-resolution synchrotron and laboratory hard X-ray microradiography and computed microtomography is described. The furnace can operate from 773 to 1723 K. Its programmable controller enables the user to specify multiple heating and cooling ramp rates as well as variable dwell times at fixed temperatures allowing precise control of heating and cooling rates to within 5 K.