ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY FOR CULTURAL GOODS AND LABORATORY

The teaching Analytical Chemistry for Cultural Heritage and Laboratory is part of the core educational activities characterizing the degree course in Science and Technologies for Cultural Heritage, aimed at providing students with knowledge and understanding of the main methods and techniques of scientific investigation for the study and characterization of historical-artistic, architectural and archaeological artefacts, using the methods developed to treat the experimental data and the current technical-scientific language in an appropriate manner.
The teaching Analytical Chemistry for Cultural Heritage and Laboratory is divided into two modules (defined as Module 1 and Module 2), both with theoretical lessons and laboratory exercises. The educational objectives of the course include:
1. Learn and understand the general principles on which the classical and instrumental analytical methods most commonly used in the analysis, characterization and diagnostics of materials and objects in the field of cultural heritage are based.
2. Develop skills and competences aimed at identifying and applying the most common classical and instrumental analytical techniques to the investigation and characterization of artistic artifacts, as well as at interpreting the experimental data.
3. Provide knowledge on the functioning of the instrumentation and on the modality of reading the responses obtained from the different types of instruments and their correlation with the theoretical aspects dealt with.
4. Develop critical sense that allows students to evaluate the potentials, advantages and limitations of the various analytical techniques studied.
5. Develop skills in the evaluation and reliability of an analytical data.

The specific training objectives of module 2 of the course are:
1. Provide students with knowledge of the theoretical principles underlying the spectroscopic, chromatographic and X-ray instrumental analytical techniques most commonly used in the study and diagnostics of cultural heritage.
2. Ability to evaluate the invasive and / or non-invasive analytical techniques best suited to the application in the study of an artwork.
3. Develop manual skills, familiarity, and autonomy in experimentally tackling instrumental analytical problems, either alone or in small work groups.
4. Develop skills to design an appropriate experimental approach to scientific investigation and use of analytical instrumentation.
5. Develop skills in collecting, organizing, and processing experimental data and presenting them through a report drawn up in a suitable scientific language.
6. Develop the competence to interpret and critically evaluate the experimental results in accordance with the theoretical principles that underlie the techniques used.

Expected learning outcomes for module 2:

1. Knowledge and understanding
A) Know the fundamental principles of spectroscopic and chromatographic analytical techniques, the laws which they are based on and the equations that express them.
B) Knowledge and understanding of the elements that make up the instruments with which the spectroscopic and chromatographic analyses are carried out.
C) Know the main features of the process of acquisition and processing of experimental data.

2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
A) Ability to understand the instrumental aspects and their connection with the theoretical basis of an instrumental analytical method.
B) Ability to use the laws and concepts learned in the theoretical course for the application of analytical instrumental techniques in the resolution of an analytical problem in the field of cultural heritage.
C) Ability to collect experimental data (alone and / or in groups) and to elaborate them consistently in the final results, made explicit by writing a scientific report.

3. Ability to judge (depending on the in-depth analysis of the subject matter during the course)
A) Ability to compare the available analytical techniques to choose the most appropriate to solve a specific problem.
B) Ability to perform a critical evaluation of the experimental results, recognizing possible errors and proposing alternative methods.
C) Ability to evaluate the logical consistency of the functioning of the instruments
D) Knowing how to recognize errors through a critical analysis of the applied method.

4. Communication skills
A) Communicating the knowledge learned and the result of their application using an appropriate language, both in oral and written.
B) Develop the ability to work in a team, interacting with the teammates in a respectful and constructive way, assuming responsibility for their role in the team.

To have achieved the training objectives of general and inorganic chemistry and laboratory - mods 1 and 2, mathematical institutions with exercises, physics, and possibly (but not necessarily) having passed the exams of these teachings.

With respect to the training objectives and the expected learning outcomes, the module Analytical Chemistry for Cultural Heritage and Laboratory Module 2 is divided into three parts.

FIRST PART: theory
1. Introduction to instrumental analytical techniques.
2. Spectroscopic analytical techniques - atomic spectrophotometry. Introduction to spectrophotometric methods. Atomic spectroscopy. Absorption and emission atomic spectroscopy. Atomic mass spectrometry. ICP-MS laser ablation. Components of the instrumentation. Applications in the field of cultural heritage.
3. Spectroscopic analytical techniques - molecular spectrophotometry. Introduction to molecular absorption spectrophotometry in ultraviolet and visible. Spectrophotometry of molecular reflectance in the visible. Components of the instrumentation. Infrared spectrophotometry. Raman spectroscopy. Applications in the field of cultural heritage.
4. X-ray based analytical techniques. Fundamental principles. X-ray fluorescence. X-ray diffraction. Applications in the field of cultural heritage.
5. Introduction to chromatographic separations. General presentation of chromatographic methods. Optimization of the performance of a chromatographic column.
6. Gas chromatography (GC). Principles and instrumentation. Columns and stationary phases for gas chromatography. Applications in the field of cultural heritage.
7. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Efficiency of the column. Instrumentation for HPLC. Various liquid chromatography techniques. Ionic chromatography. Thin layer chromatography. Applications in the field of cultural heritage.

SECOND PART – laboratory
Experiments in emission atomic spectroscopy with atomization by microwave plasma.
Experiments in UV-vis molecular spectroscopy.
Chromatography experiences: gas chromatography and ion chromatography.

THIRD PART- project exercise
Elaboration of a virtual project for the scientific analysis of an artwork.

- Skoog D.A., West D.M., Holler F.J., Crough S.R., Fondamenti di Chimica Analitica, EdiSES, Napoli, III ed. (2015), op. II Ed. (2005).
- Skoog D.A., Holler F.J., Crouch S.R., Chimica Analitica Strumentale, EdiSES, Napoli, 2009.
- B. Stuart, Analytical Techniques in Material Conservation, Wiley, 2007.
- Cardinali M., De Ruggieri M. B., Falcucci C., Diagnostica artistica. Tracce materiali per la storia dell'arte e per la conservazione, Palombi Editori, 2007.
- P. Vandenabeele, Analytical Archaeometry, Howell Edwards, RSC Books 2011.
- G. Artioli, Scientific Methods and Cultural Heritage - An introduction to the application of materials science to archaeometry and conservation science, Oxford University Press, 2010.

For the executive part of the exercises the teachers will provide handouts with the information necessary for the realization of each experience and the processing of the corresponding report.

The evaluation of learning related to the teaching of Analytical Chemistry for Cultural Heritage and Laboratory, module 2, is divided into the following parts:
- an oral examination for the evaluation of the objectives concerning the theoretical part, which consists of a series of questions related to the theoretical aspects of the different analytical techniques dealt with. The proposed questions will be of different levels: understanding, application, analysis, synthesis, and critical evaluation. Weight: 70% of the vote on the mod. 2.
- evaluation of the project exercise through power point presentation and discussion of the project. Weight: 30% of the vote on the mod. 2.

Evaluation of laboratory: arithmetic mean of the two following components:
- votes of reports concerning laboratory exercises (both in module 1 and 2); for the evaluation of the part of the laboratory, the realization of at least 80% of the programmed exercises is required. Appropriate additional laboratory sessions are planned to allow for possible recoveries.
- test consisting of a series of questions directly related to the experiences performed in both modules, especially regarding understanding of the work done and application of analytical techniques studied in the laboratory.
The overall assessment of the Analytical Chemistry for Cultural Heritage and Laboratory is calculated as the arithmetic average of the marks obtained in module 1, in module 2 and in the laboratory.

Theoretical part: the teaching will take place through lectures in which the principles concerning the instrumental analytical techniques will be presented and discussed.

Laboratory - module 2: students will be divided into small work groups to perform the experimental activities of programmed instrumental analytical chemistry. At the end of each experience the students must write a report with the instrumental results obtained and their elaboration in order to present the desired analytical result. The results must be critically evaluated based on the objectives of the experiment, the theory concerning the technique used and the results present in the literature.

Exercise: in small groups (two people) the students must carry out the planned research for the elaboration of a project to solve a problem concerning the study, the characterization, and the diagnostics of a work of art. Each group will have a different problem to solve. For the development of the project students will have to use the scientific databases and scientific journals available online in the university library and discuss the project with a PowerPoint presentation to all the colleagues.

Accommodation and support services for students with disabilities and students with specific learning impairments: Ca’ Foscari abides by Italian Law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) regarding supportservices and accommodation available to students with disabilities. This includes students with mobility, visual, hearing and other disabilities (Law 17/1999), and specific learning impairments (Law 170/2010). In the case of disability or impairment that requires accommodations (i.e., alternate testing, readers, note takers or interpreters), please contact the Disability and Accessibility Offices in Student Services: disabilita@unive.it.

Students, who legitimately cannot attend the course in whole or in part, are required to contact the teacher and discuss the program before the beginning of the classes.

written and oral