Gel substrates and ammonia-EDTA extraction solution. A new non-destructive combined approach for the identification of anthraquinone dyes from wool textiles
The identification of dyes from ancient textiles represents a challenging issue requiring high proficiency and versatility, that must be guided by the principles of non-destructiveness. The complexity of the dye/textile system influences both the choice of sampling and extraction procedures and the analytical methodology. For instance, in order to preserve both the fibre and the original chromophores on it, the extraction procedures commonly used for natural dyes have evolved in last few decades towards increasingly mild conditions.