Service: Organic Residue Analysis (ORA)
Platforms
Fixlab
Techniques
Mass spectrometry based omics (proteomics, lipidomics, glycomics, metabolomics) for heritage science
Reference
Organic residue analysis is used to study organic materials deposited on archaeological artefacts during their use.
Organic residue analysis is used to study organic materials deposited on archaeological artefacts during their use through molecular and isotopic analysis. A major research strand is lipid residue analysis of pottery.
Samples are extracted from the vessel with a carbide rotary tipped drill, and extracted through either an acid methanol or solvent extraction technique. Resultant extracts are analysed by both GC-FID and GC-MS in order to calculate relative abundance but also chemical composition.
Fields of application
Archaeobotany
Archaeology
Paleoanthropology
Materials
Carbonised organic remains
Carbonised organic remains
Methods