Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

From Plant Extracts to Historical Textiles: Characterization of Dyestuffs by GC–MS

  • Original
  • Published:
Chromatographia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric procedure for the analysis of dyes from plant extracts was optimized and applied for the detection of components in extracts from 12 dyeing plants native from all over the world. The main marker molecules in each of the dyestuffs, as well as accessory compounds, were successfully separated and identified by means of their electron impact mass spectra, thus demonstrating that a single GC–MS procedure can be conveniently applied to the detection of natural dyes such as flavonoids, neoflavonoids, anthraquinones and tannins. Other constituents of plant extracts, such as organic acids, oils and sugars, that hydrolyse during the extraction process, were also detected and recognized in the same chromatographic run. The GC–MS method was tested on woollen references dyed according to traditional recipes, and on historical wool samples taken from a tapestry of the sixteenth century, and the main dyestuffs used for colouring could be traced even with the low amounts usually available with the archaeometric samples. Besides some limitations, that are addressed, the results show that the GC analysis is a useful tool for quick assessment and control of natural extracts and the application of the technique for the characterization of dyes in historical textiles, in addition or in place of the more widely used procedures that employ liquid chromatography, is encouraged.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Cardon D (2007) Natural dyes: sources, tradition. Technology and science. Archetype, London ISBN 190498200x

    Google Scholar 

  2. Hofenk de Graaff JH (2004) The colourful past. Archetype, London ISBN 1873132131

    Google Scholar 

  3. Brunello F (1973) The art of dyeing in the history of mankind. Neri Pozza, Vicenza

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bechtold T, Mussak R (2009) Handbook of natural colourants. John Wiley, Chichester

    Book  Google Scholar 

  5. Rosenberg E (2008) Anal Bioanal Chem 391:33

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Degano I, Ribechini E, Modugno F, Colombini MP (2009) Appl Spectrosc Rev 44:363

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Molnàr-Perl I, Füzfai ZS (2005) J Chromatogr A 1073:201

  8. Tekel J, Daeseleire E, Heeremans A, van Peteghem C (1999) J Agric Food Chem 47:3489

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Henriksen LM, Kjøsen H (1983) J Chromatogr 258:252

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Boldizsár I, Szucs Z, Fuzfai ZS, Molnar-Perl I (2006) J Chromatogr A 1133:259

  11. Colombini MP, Andreotti A, Baraldi C, Degano I, Łucejko JJ (2007) Microchem J 85:174

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Tutin TG, Heywood VH, Burges NA, Moore DM, Valentine DH, Walters SM, Webb DA (1980) Flora Europaea, vol 5. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, p 476

    Google Scholar 

  13. Leitner P, Fitz-Binder C, Mahmud-Ali A, Bechtold T (2012) Dyes Pigments 93:1416

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Derksen GCH, Niederlander HAG, van Beek TA (2002) J Chromatogr A 978:119

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Ellis B. E., (1988) Nat. Prod. Rep. 5: 581 (ex 18 tab 1 )

  16. van den Berg AJJ, Radema MH, Labadie RP (1988) Plant Sci 56:123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. van den Berg AJJ, Labadie RP (1984) Planta Med 50:449

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Conedera M, Krebs P, Tinner W, Pradella M, Torrioni D (2004) Veg Hist Archaeobot 13:161

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Shen D, Wu Q, Wang M, Yang Y, Lavoie EJ, Simon JE (2006) J Agric Food Chem 54:3219

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Zhaobang S. (1995) Production and standards for chemical non-wood forest products in China. CIFOR Occasional Paper No. 6. ISSN 0854-9818

  21. Muhammad S, Khan BA, Akhtar N, Mahmood T, Rasul A, Hussain I, Khan H, Badshah A (2012) J. Med Plants Res 6:4772

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Chattopadhyay RR, Bhattacharyya SK (2007) Pharmacogn Rev 23:145

    Google Scholar 

  23. Rathinamoorthy R, Thilagavathi G (2014) Int J Pharm Tech Res 6:97

    Google Scholar 

  24. Blau K, Halket J (1993) Handbook of derivatives for chromatography. Wiley and Sons, Chichester ISBN 047192699x

    Google Scholar 

  25. Zuo Y, Wang C, Lin Y, Guoa J, Deng Y (2008) J Chromatogr A 1200:43

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. http://www.fondoambiente.it. Accessed 1 Sep 2014

  27. de Rijke E, Out P, Niessen WMA, Ariese F, Gooijer C, Brinkman UATh (2006) J Chromatogr A 1112:31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Kennedy JF, Robertson SM (1978) Carbohydr Res 67:1

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Bleton J, Mejanelle P, Sansoulet J, Goursaud S, Tchapla A (1996) J Chromatogr A 720:27

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Hulme AN, McNab H, Peggie DA, Quye A (2005) Phytochem J 66:2766

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Temsiririrkkul R, Punsrirat J, Ruangwises N, Wongkrajang Y, Nakornchai S (2007) Planta Med 73:901

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Amakura Y, Okada M, Tsuji S, Tonogai Y (2000) J Chromatogr A 896:87

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Daniel EM, Krupnick AS, Heur YH, Blinzler JA, Nims RW, Stoner GD (1989) J. Food Comp Anal 2:338

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Vekiari SA, Gordon MH, García-Macías P, Labrinea H. (2008) Food Chem 110:1007

  35. Barbehenn RV, Jones CP, Karonen M, Pekka Salminen J (2006) J Chem Ecol 32:2235

  36. Hakkinen SH, Karenlampi SO, Mykkanen HM, Heinonen IM, Torronen AR (2000) Eur Food Res Technol 212:75

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Schofield P, Mbugua DM, Pell AN (2001) Anim Feed Sci Tech 91:21

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Couleurs de Plantes, Rochefort (France) is gratefully acknowledged for the supply of plant extracts and the “Associazione Tintura Naturale Maria Elda Salice” for the reference woollen samples. This research was partially supported by the national project PRIN 2010–2011: Sustainability in Cultural Heritage: from diagnosis to the development of innovative systems for consolidation, cleaning and protection.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Chimica, Università di Torino, Via Giuria 7, 10125, Turin, Italy

    Laura Degani, Chiara Riedo, Monica Gulmini & Oscar Chiantore

Authors
  1. Laura Degani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chiara Riedo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Monica Gulmini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Oscar Chiantore
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Oscar Chiantore.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Degani, L., Riedo, C., Gulmini, M. et al. From Plant Extracts to Historical Textiles: Characterization of Dyestuffs by GC–MS. Chromatographia 77, 1683–1696 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10337-014-2772-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10337-014-2772-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation