LABEC, Florence
Laboratory of Nuclear Techniques for
Environment and Cultural Heritage
F. Lucarelli
In Florence....
• Long-time tradition with PIXE (and IBA in
general) applied to Cultural Heritage
 This activity started in the middle of
the Eighties with an old Van de Graaff
single-ended accelerator...

Until mid 1980’s a local activity of
nuclear physics with the 3 MV van de
Graaff accelerator
From mid 1980’s its “research goals” were changed to applications,
mainly Ion Beam Analysis, IBA (mostly Particle-Induced X ray
Emission, PIXE)
Ion Beam Analysis (IBA)
• Material composition analysis through beam particle bombardment
typically proton or alpha beams at some MeV energy
radiation detection and
spectral analysis
2500
Si
Conteggi
2000
1500
Ca
1000
Al
Mg
500
Fe
0
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
EX (eV)
emission of radiation of
characteristic energies
(X-rays, g-rays,
particles…)
particle beam
particle accelerator
3
2002-2003
move of the Physics Department to the new
campus in Sesto Fiorentino
• INFN and University create a new lab
• new 3 MV Tandetron, designed from the
beginning to perform both IBA and
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS)
• The new laboratory, LABEC, is operational
in May 2004
Copyright foto Luca Casonato, 2009
Tandetron, 3 MV max. terminal voltage
3 independent ion sources (single-cahode Cs sputter, 59-cathode
Cs sputter, Duoplasmatron)
6 beamlines for Ion Beam Analysis (IBA)
1 beamline for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS)
Accelerator hall
The Tandetron facility at LABEC
3 MV
Tandetron
IBA dual
source
external beam
(Environment)
external
micro-beam
multi-sample
AMS source
high-energy
AMS
spectrometer
external beam
(Cultural Heritage)
multipurpose IBA
vacuum chamber
chopped
beam line
multi-angle
scattering
chamber
Activities at LABEC
technological developments
(electronics and process
automation, data acquisition systems, detection setups, further
beamlines)
methodological developments
(test of new ideas for
application procedures)
measurements
in the framework of both:
interdisciplinary research projects in collaboration with other
Institutions (CNR, Cultural Heritage safeguard Institutions,
Environmental Protection Agencies) and University Departments
other than Physics Dpts
“internal” collaborations supporting other nuclear physics
groups (detector tests, radiation damage measurements, etc.)
Beam time
25-30% AMS
30% IBA aerosol
30-35% IBA for Cultural Heritage and
other applications
10% neither AMS nor IBA
AMS at LABEC
The low-energy and high-energy AMS lines are
equipped with the necessary hardware to implement
the measurement of 14C, 10Be, 26Al and 129I.
at LABEC AMS 
14C,
14C
in turn, mainly for archaeological dating
Standard precision < 0.5% (<
0.3% when required)
Overall background: ~ 50000 y
equivalent
AMS
14C
dating at LABEC
about 300 samples analysed per year (home-prepared)
+ 100 prepared outside
Distribution of
analysed
materials
Relics of St. Francis
(tunics and other) kept
in the church of
St.Francis in Cortona
and in the Basilica of
Santa Croce (Florence)
Etruscan site diggings in
Southern Tuscany
River sediments – the Abak Creek layers in Ethiopia
Archaeological diggings in
downtown Florence (Palazzo
Vecchio and surroundings)
Scientific American online
NEWS @ Nature.com
6 settembre 2007
5 settembre 2007
The Artemidor’s papyrus
The icon in the Basilica of Santa
Maria in Aracoeli, Rome
The Rosano Crucifix
Atmospheric aerosols
Solid or liquid particles with a diameter from 10-3 to 102 μm
• natural or anthropogenic sources
• primary or secondary origin
Impact on the
environment
Impact on
human health
Impact on cultural
heritage
What do we need to study aerosols
Many good data concerning:
• PM concentration and
composition
• size distribution
• optical properties
• time and space evolution
Quantification and
identification of PM
emissions sources
through receptor
models
OUTPUT
Contribution to
pollution
abatement
policies to
improve air
qualitity
Contribution to
climate models to
assess the role of
atmospheric
aerosols in
radiative forcing
PIXE-PIGE external set-up at LABEC
for aerosol composition measurements
He
Gamma ray det. HPGe
Faraday cup
Light elements X ray
detector (SDD)
Higher-Z elements
X ray detector
(Si(Li))
LABEC aerosol group research projects
Local impact:
• Study of PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 in Tuscany (PATOS, PATOS 2)
and in major Italian towns, Barcelona, Sevilla, Elche, Alicante, London, Japan
Global impact:
• EPICA - European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica
• TALDICE - TALos Dome Ice CorE
• ANDRILL - Antarctic Geological Drilling
• AMMA - African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis
• MAIL - Marine Aerosol in the Island of Lampedusa
• DIRIGIBILE ITALIA (multidisciplinary study of climate change
in Arctic region)
Environmental monitoring at cultural heritage sites
Indoor pollution/Personal exposure:
• HEARTS - Health Effects And Risks of Transport Systems
biomass
burning
23%
03/10/06
03/10/06
19/09/06
19/09/06
05/09/06
05/09/06
soil dust
18%
22/08/06
22/08/06
80
08/08/06
08/08/06
100
25/07/06
25/07/06
120
11/07/06
11/07/06
PM10
27/06/06
27/06/06
13/06/06
13/06/06
30/05/06
16/05/06
Average source
apportionment
02/05/06
18/04/06
04/04/06
21/03/06
07/03/06
21/02/06
07/02/06
24/01/06
10/01/06
27/12/05
13/12/05
29/11/05
15/11/05
01/11/05
18/10/05
04/10/05
20/09/05
06/09/05
3
concentration (mg/m )
marine
aerosol
5%
secondary
sulphate
17%
secondary
nitrate
12%
traffic
25%
140
marine aerosol
biomass burning
traffic
secondary nitrate
secondary sulphate
soil dust
60
40
20
0
Remote areas
Antarctic dust
dust particles deposited over
the Antarctic ice sheet and
archived in ice core samples
(spanning the last 220 kyr),
to investigate global climate
changes
Desert aerosol
collected during the
AMMA project
(African Monsoon
Multidisciplinary Analyses)
AMS 14C measurements in aerosols
14C
fraction with respect to modern carbon:
~ 0 in the aerosols produced by fossil fuels
~ 1 in the aerosol of biogenic origin or from biomass burning
 Marker of pollution from fossil fuels burning
S. Szidat, Science 323 (2009), 470
Ion Beam Analysis techniques
for Cultural Heritage
LABEC – Laboratorio di Tecniche Nucleari per l’Ambiente
e i Beni Culturali
Using external beam set-ups
we can investigate
in a totally non-destructive way
the complete quantitative
composition of any kind of artwork
Analysis of ancient glass,
External PIXE-PIGE analysis of the
glass tesserae from Villa Adriana
...glazed terracottas,
External PIXE analysis of the
“Ritratto di fanciullo” by Luca Della
Robbia – before restoration at the
Opificio delle Pietre Dure in
Florence
...ancient illuminated
manuscripts,
External-beam PIXE analysis of the
frontispiece of Pl.16,22 (XV century,
Biblioteca Laurenziana in Florence)
...historical documents,
Inks in Galileo’s manuscripts (Florence
National Library) analysed by external PIXE
…ancient embroideries,
…early photographs,
Micro-PIXE and –PIGE analysis of
gold threads of a Renaissance
embroidery based on a cartoon by
Raffaellino del Garbo
PIXE-PIGE analysis of a print on
metal plate of the XIX century
...drawings,
PIXE-PIGE analysis of a drawing on
prepared paper, by Leonardo or his school
PIXE-PIGE analysis of a drawing on
prepared paper, school of Verona, XVI cent.
...paintings on wood or canvas
Differential PIXE and PIGE analysis of the
Micro-PIXE and -PIGE analysis of the
Madonna dei Fusi by Leonardo
“Ritratto Trivulzio” by Antonello da Messina
Giorgio Vasari
Tavoletta with S.Lucia, from
Pala Albergotti, Arezzo
Andrea Mantegna
Madonna col Bambino, oil on canvas,
Accademia Carrara di Bergamo
…manufacts in semi-precious stones,
“Disc with star” from the “Collezione Medicea di
Pietre Ornamentali” of the Natural History Museum
in Florence ( mineralogy and lithology division)
Two dedicated external beamlines
beam size defined by collimation
(Ø 0.2 ÷ 1 mm)
strong focusing system,
quadrupole doublet (Ø 8÷10 mm)
External microbeam line
< 10 mm beam size on target
magnetic scan of areas
within the window
aperture
list-mode (E,x,y) DAQ
includes detection systems
for PIXE, PIGE,
backward and forward
particle scattering,
ion induced luminescence (IBIL)
beam
Elemental mapping
The eye of the Virgin
2 mm
Au Lα
Pb Lα
Sn K
Fe
2 mm
The veil
Au Lα
Si
Al
Pb Lα
External microbeam line
full control of beam currents from a few nA down to
ultra low (hundreds of particles/sec)
higher beam intensities 
elemental PIXE –PIGE maps also for trace elements (of
great interest e.g. for geologists)
ultra-low currents 
possibility of scanning transmission ion microscopy
(STIM)
tests of detectors response as a function of position
(through IBICC, ion beam induced charge collection)
Another achievement, exploiting
IBMM
(Ion Beam Modification of Materials)
Ion lithography (with protons or even heavier
ions) through beam-induced alteration of material
properties (optical, electrical, etc.) on selected
zones “drawn” by the microbeam scan (material
properties are selectively altered in depth thanks
to the Bragg peak)
Electrostatic deflector
beamline
(pulsed beam facility)
Beam bunches with different particle multiplicity can be
delivered directly to a detector for response tests to particles
1000
3 MeV
protons
800
600
400
200
0
1600
5 MeV
protons
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
20
40
60
80
MeV
100
120
140
Not only accelerator-based
techniques at LABEC
Design, construction and applications of an
innovative transportable XRF system
with superior performance, in particular for
low-Z elements detection
The transportable XRF spectrometer
● independent PS for the two tubes
● data acquisition, He flow, X-Y-Z
displacement and video camera are
remotely controlled (via Ethernet) by the
same computer
Controller
Measurement head
● 2 X ray tubes (30 kV max, 1 mA max) with two
different anodes (typically Mo e Ti; W if needed)
● interchangeable collimators; typical beam
diameter 0.5 mm
● SDD detector (active area 10 mm2, 450 μm thickness,
FWHM 139 eV @ 5.9 keV)
● helium flow in front of both tubes and detector
● 2 laser beams for accurate
positioning
● telecamera
Ultramarine blue layer on chalk
XRF spectrum with our spectrometre
Stesura
oltremare
ultramarine
blueartificiale
layer
6000
Si
5000
conteggi
4000
3000
Al
S (+Mo)
2000
Ca
1000
Na
K
Ca
Fe
0
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
energia (eV)
Mo 22kV
6000
7000
8000
9000
10000
Head of a Prophet” by Lorenzo Ghiberti
(part of the Paradise Gate
of the Florence Baptistery)
Gilded bronze
“
Affresco della
Resurrezione
Piero della
Francesca
Sansepolcro,
Museo Civico
Crocefisso, Maestro di Figline
Santa Croce
Globi del Coronelli
Museo Galileo
Santa Croce, Cappella Bardi
– ciclo di affreschi di Giotto
Madonna del Granduca
Raffaello
Galleria Palatina
Thank you for your
attention!
LABEC – chi ci lavora
Luca Cararresi
Massimo Chiari
Lorenzo Giuntini (tec)
Franco Lucarelli
Pier Andrea Mandò
Marco Manetti (tec.)
Silvia Nava
Francesco Taccetti (tec.)
Silvia Calusi (post doc)
Giulia Calzolai (post doc)
Mariaelena Fedi (ricerc. tempo det.)
Lucia Caforio (phd st.)
yellow  INFN
white  UniFi
S.Francesco Church at Cortona
It was build by Padre Elia a few years after
the death of St- Francesco (1226). Three
important relics are kept there :
A pillow, on which
tradition tells St.
Francis was leaning
his head while
passing away
The frok; according to
tradition, the one used to
cover the Saint’s body at the
moment of his death.
un evangeliario
Atmospheric data from Reimer et al (2004);OxCal v3.10 Bronk Ramsey (2005); cub r:5 sd:12 prob usp[chron]
tonaca Cortona 857±18BP
cuscino 1 915±40BP
cuscino 3 885±30BP
Tonaca S.Croce 666±18BP
cingolo S.Croce 852±34BP
600CalAD
800CalAD
1000CalAD
1200CalAD
Calibrated date
1400CalAD
1600CalAD
Continuous streaker sampler
1 Hour
Montelupo Fiorentino: artistic glass industry
 Traffic emissions
No chemical analysis is
possible!
mg/m3
emissions from industries
5
4
3
2
1
0
As
Na
K
3.00
15.00
3.00
15.00
3.00
15.00
3.00
15.00
3.00
15.00
3.00
15.00
3.00
15.00
Identification of fugitive
Ice-dust and PSA-sediments composition
TiO2
1%
MnO
0%
Fe2O3
8%
Na2O
2%
MgO
2%
CaO
1%
ghiaccio
Composizione
media
del mineral dust
durante le ultime ere
glaciali
CaO
2%
SiO2
60%
Al2O3
22%
SiO2
52%
sud America
Al2O3
20%
K2O
3%
MgO
5%
K2O
3%
Fe2O3 Na O
2
10%
1%
MgO
3%
Na2O
0%
TiO2
1%
SiO2
68%
MnO
TiO2% 0%
1%
Fe2O3
16%
CaO
1%
Al2O3
15%
K2O
3%
MnO
0%
Confronto con composizione
sedimenti nelle possibili zone
sorgenti per studiare i fenomeni
di trasporto
Fe2O3
MnO 17%
0%
Na2O
1%
MgO
5%
TiO2
1%
CaO
1%
Al2O3
27%
K2O
4%
SiO2
44%
External STIM set-up
STIM of a thin copper grid
map of higher-energy
transmitted protons
map of lower-energy
transmitted protons