Short Description
The Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Exploris GC mass spectrometer with autosampler
Contact Person
Dimitra Kourtidou MSc, Ph.D.
Research Services
The Archaeological Sciences unit of the Austrian Archaeological Institute is dedicated to the interdisciplinary analysis of archaeological artifacts and ecofacts. In-house expertise includes lithics and marble research, ceramic/clay/mortar and color archaeometry, archaeogeochemistry as well as archaeoichthyology, archaeothanatology and histotaphonomy, archaeobotany and expertise in the field of food archaeology.
The gas chromatograph with mass spectrometer enables comprehensive precision analyses of volatile components from archaeological contexts. The main application is the routine analysis of lipids preserved in cooking ceramics in order to gain detailed insights into their food-specific use and culinary techniques in general. Other application scenarios include the analysis of adhesives and resins, organic binders for pigments, detection of honey and wax products, etc.
Methods & Expertise for Research Infrastructure
The Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Exploris GC mass spectrometer is a state-of-the-art analyser used for the identification and quantification of chemical compounds in a wide range of samples. It combines the advantages of gas chromatography (GC) with high-resolution mass spectrometry (Orbitrap technology) to provide unrivalled accuracy, precision and depth of analysis.
Areas of application:
- Environmental analysis: Identification and quantification of pollutants in air, water and soil
- Food and beverage safety: analysis of food ingredients and end products, identification of impurities and contaminants
- Pharmaceutical analysis: Development and control of pharmaceuticals, identification and quantification of active ingredients and metabolites
- Forensic science: identification of unknown substances, examination of crime scene material
- Chemical analysis: structure elucidation of unknown compounds, characterisation of polymers and other materials
Other areas of application: Medical research, doping control, archaeology, geology