Application Issues of the Bathophenanthroline Test for Iron(II) Ions

Abstract

The bathophenanthroline indicator paper was introduced to the field of paper conservation as a contact test to detect the presence of iron(II) ions in objects of cultural value, especially manuscripts containing iron gall ink. Due to their catalytic activity, iron(II) ions are detrimental to paper and other organic substrates. Paper conservators apply different treatments to remove or deactivate iron(II) ions from ink corroded manuscripts, e. g. washing and the phytate treatment. By comparing stability constants of the different complexes, involved with the testing on iron gall ink and the phytate treatment, it is shown that the bathophenanthroline test can safely be applied at nearly neutral pH-values (pH = 6), without the risk of destroying the ink or phytate complex. Therefore, it can be used to check the efficacy of the phytate treatment applied to complex and remove iron(II) ions.Zusammenfassung/résumé at end of article

Mössbauer study of iron gall inks on historical documents

“…In the low temperature spectra of the written as well as in the empty page there are magnetic sextets (dark blue): two in the written page and one in the empty page. In the 4.2 K spectrum of the written page there is a very broad feature (bright blue) due to Fe 3+ showing slow paramagnetic relaxation of iron in old papers may arise from contamination of the water used in paper production, from wear of the machinery used in making the paper pulp from rags, from the use of additives, or from iron oxides or hydroxides like hematite or goethite adhering to the rags used for making the paper [49].…”

Mössbauer Study of Iron Gall Inks on Historical Documents

“…In a recent Mössbauer study of some papers without ink Dzinavatonga et al [18] came to a similar conclusion, but they do not give absolute values for the iron contents of their papers. The presence of iron in old papers can be due to the process of production, arising perhaps from contamination of the water used in paper production, from wear of iron machinery used in making the paper pulp from rags, or from the use of additives [51]. In the paper of the Latin MS there is a minor fraction of hematite that already splits magnetically at RT.…”

Técnicas analíticas para la caracterización de documentos: una revisión bibliográfica

“…Test de batofenantrolina: Permite identificar la presencia de hierro (II) al poner en contacto unas tiras empapadas en batofenantrolina con la muestra. No es un sistema apto para otros metales (Neevel 2009;Belhadj et al 2014).…”

“…Desde hace décadas, se han incrementado los estudios tendentes a identificar y conocer tanto los materiales estructurales y sustentados, así como los productos de alteración, con el objetivo de mejorar los métodos para su conservación y restauración. El conjunto de técnicas analíticas que pueden emplearse para estudiar manuscritos es muy amplio, abarcando desde complejas técnicas para obtener la composición de los materiales empleados, como las espectroscopías infrarroja o Raman, la fluorescencia de rayos X o las técnicas cromatográficas (Zappalà et al 1996;Derbyshire & Wheeler 2002;Stuart 2007;Manso & Carvalho 2009), a ensayos más rudimentarios que pueden ser aplicados en el propio taller de restauración, por ejemplo, el test de batofenantrolina, de Molish o de Lugol (Matteini & Moles 2001;Stuart 2007;Neevel 2009). En este sentido, el conservador-restaurador debe tener una visión general de las técnicas analíticas más importantes empleadas en el estudio de documentos y material de archivo, de tal forma que se posean los conocimientos oportunos para discernir la técnica más adecuada en función de las necesidades del bien y los recursos disponibles en cada momento.…”