High performance liquid chromatography of slightly soluble brominated indigoids from Tyrian purple.

Attempts at identification of mollusc species producing Tyrian purple from archaeological material are usually done with high performance liquid chromatography in the reversed-phase system, but the peaks obtained are often wide and asymmetric. This is due to the low solubility of the indigoids and their brominated derivatives in the mobile phase, especially 6,6'-dibromoindigotin, which is soluble in only few, particular solvents. Our study focused on improving both symmetry and peak height for more precise quantification. The influence of various factors was evaluated: stationary phase characteristics, mobile phase composition, elution gradient parameters and temperature on the peak shape of the main components of Tyrian purple. The best results were obtained using highly retentive, but moderately bonded ODS stationary phases (about 2.8 µmol m(-2)), percolated with gradient of acetonitrile with acidified aqueous mobile phases (0.1% strong acid) at elevated temperatures (70°C). The upper quantification limit for 6,6'-dibromoindigotin was improved by over 350%, between standard and optimised systems. Using them, the detection and quantification of trace Tyrian purple components (less than 0.15%) aside from major indigoids becomes possible. Consequently, for the first time, the new analogues of brominated and unbrominated indirubins were found in the shellfish purple from Hexaplex trunculus.

A spectrometric and chromatographic approach to the study of ageing of madder (Rubia tinctorum L.) dyestuff on wool.

In this work, the lightfastness of wool textile samples, dyed with madder and its principal components alizarin and purpurin, was investigated using two complementary experimental techniques: absorption and emission UV-vis spectroscopy and chromatography (HPLC-PDA). Spectroscopic techniques were used to follow the time course of ageing, whereas chromatography was applied to determine relative compositional changes that occurred after exposure of wool dyed samples to natural and artificial ageing. The results from the two techniques integrate well each other and provide complementary and useful indications about the sensitivity of the dyed textiles to ageing, showing that purpurin is the principal component responsible for the spectral and chromatic properties of madder as well as for its degradation. The fading of both the fibre and dye is reduced in the presence of alum and in the absence of oxygen. The multi-analytical approach used highlights the potential of the UV-vis spectroscopy for the investigation of dyes on textiles. The great sensitivity of the spectrofluorimetry makes this technique particularly promising for a non-destructive study of dyes on works of art.