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GC–MS ANALYSIS OF LIPIDS IN PREHISTORIC ROCK PAINTS AND ASSOCIATED OXALATE COATINGS FROM THE LOWER PECOS REGION, TEXAS*
Author(s) -
SPADES S.,
RUSS J.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
archaeometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1475-4754
pISSN - 0003-813X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-4754.2005.00191.x
Subject(s) - chemistry , derivatization , oxalate , chromatography , gas chromatography , gas chromatography–mass spectrometry , fatty acid , mass spectrometry , organic chemistry
The presumption that lipids were used as binders/vehicles in pictograph paints from southwestern Texas was tested using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). A one‐step transesterification/derivatization procedure was used to convert bound and unbound fatty acids to fatty acid methyl esters for the analysis. Approximately 30 organic compounds were detected in the natural rock coating that encapsulates the paints, but there were no compounds unique to the paints. Moreover, the C 16:0 and C 18:0 concentrations in the paint samples were similar to the concentrations of these fatty acids in the rock coating, indicating that the compounds are native to the patina. Thus, lipid binders were either not used in the original paint mixture or have since degraded.