CHAPTER 7: Separation Methods

The study of cultural heritage objects is challenged by the presence of unique and complex mixtures in various stages of degradation. Therefore, the chemical characterization of cultural heritage materials commonly needs the preliminary separation of their components, achieved through chromatographic methods. The choice of a chromatographic technique is related to the physicochemical characteristics of the components in the mixture (polarity, vapor pressure, etc.), which can be chemically modified through derivatization. This chapter presents an overview of liquid, gas and thin-layer chromatography, three of the most frequently used separation techniques in the study of cultural heritage objects. Each section contains fundamental principles and terminology associated with the method, touches on sample preparation and its importance and provides the reader with references for more in-depth understanding.