AIC's 46th Annual Meeting

Ambient analysis methods are critical tools in the field of conservation. Direct analysis in real time- mass spectrometry (DART-MS) is a relatively new ambient analysis technique. The DART ion source utilizes a heated helium gas stream to desorb surface molecules on the sample which then enter a coupled high-resolution mass spectrometer. DART-MS has been used for many different applications, but recent literature in the field of conservation has focused on dye analysis of historic textiles. In this work, we present our data from DART-MS analysis of historic textiles in rare dye swatch books from the Dibner Library of the History of Science and Technology collection. Our data suggests that DART-MS can detect compounds associated with textile processing, which may provide some insight into the complexity associated with historic textile production, use, and degradation. This presentation will discuss preliminary findings.