СРАВНИТЕЛЬНЫЙ АНАЛИЗ МЕТОДИК РЕНТГЕНОФЛУОРЕСЦЕНТНОГО ОПРЕДЕЛЕНИЯ ЭЛЕМЕНТНОГО СОСТАВА АРХЕОЛОГИЧЕСКОЙ КЕРАМИКИ ИЗ МАЛЫХ НАВЕСОК

Abstract

Wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis ( WDXRF ) and total-reflection X-ray fluorescence ( TXRF ) analysis were applied to study the elemental composition of the Late Neolithic ancient ceramics collected at the Popovsky Lug burial site (Kachug, Upper Lena river, Russia). Semi-quantitative non-destructive analysis of ceramic pieces showed that measurements of the upper and lower sides of the ceramic are less informative than the measurement of its cut. Various sample preparation techniques for the low quantity of crushed ceramics such as fusion, pressing and preparation of suspensions were compared to preserve the material. Samples were prepared as 150 mg fused beads and 250 mg pressed pellets for WDXRF, and as suspensions of 20 mg sample based on the aqueous solution of the Triton X-100 surfactant for TXRF. Certified methods were used to validate the obtained contents of rock-forming oxides and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to confirm the results of trace elements determination. Based on the carried-out studies, a combination of the wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis (glass) and total-reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis (suspension) methods was chosen to obtain the data on the elemental bulk composition of archaeological ceramics. The proposed combination allowed the quantitative determination of Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, V, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Pb, and Ba from the sample of crushed ceramics weighing only about 170 mg. Keywords : wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis, total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis, ceramics, archeology, Popovsky Lug, Upper Lena River DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15826/analitika.2020.25.1.001 G.V. Pashkova 1,2 , M.M. Mukhamedova 1,2 , V.M. Chubarov 1,3 , A.S. Maltsev 1,4 , A.A. Amosova 3 , E.I. Demonterova 1 , E.A. Mikheeva 1 , D.L. Shergin 1,2,5 , V.A. Pellinen 1 , A.V. Teten'kin 1,4 1 Institute of the Eatrh’s Crust, SB RAS, 128 Lermontov St., 640033, Irkutsk, Russian Federation 2 Irkutsk State University, 1 K. Marx St., 664003, Irkutsk, Russian Federation 3 Vinogradov Institute of Geochemistry, SB RAS, 1А Favorsky st., 664033, Irkutsk, Russian Federation 4 Irkutsk National Research Technical University, 83 Lermontov st., 664074, Irkutsk, Russian Federation 5 Irkutsk Regional Museum of Local Lore; 13 K. Marx st., 664003, Irkutsk, Russian Federation