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Review
. 2022 May 26;27(11):3451.
doi: 10.3390/molecules27113451.

Lipids in Archaeological Pottery: A Review on Their Sampling and Extraction Techniques

Anna Irto  1 , Giuseppe Micalizzi  1 , Clemente Bretti  1 , Valentina Chiaia  1 , Luigi Mondello  1   2   3 , Paola Cardiano  1
Affiliations
Review

Lipids in Archaeological Pottery: A Review on Their Sampling and Extraction Techniques

Anna Irto et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

Several studies have been performed so far for the effective recovery, detection and quantification of specific compounds and their degradation products in archaeological materials. According to the literature, lipid molecules are the most durable and widespread biomarkers in ancient pottery. Artificial ageing studies to simulate lipid alterations over time have been reported. In this review, specific lipid archaeological biomarkers and well-established sampling and extraction methodologies are discussed. Although suitable analytical techniques have unraveled archaeological questions, some issues remain open such as the need to introduce innovative and miniaturized protocols to avoid extractions with organic solvents, which are often laborious and non-environmentally friendly.

Keywords: ageing study; ancient pottery; archaeological biomarkers; lipid derivatization; lipid extraction; lipids in pottery; sampling of lipids.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Examples of lipids detected in archaeological pottery samples: (a) tripalmitoylglycerol, (b) 1,3-dipalmitoyl-glycerol, (c) 1-palmitoyl-glycerol, (d) palmitic acid, (e) palmitoleic acid, (f) linoleic acid, (g) sitosterol, (h) cholesterol, (i) ergosterol, (l) dehydroabietic acid, (m) oleanolic acid, (n) betulin, (o) tetracosanyl 15-hydroxypalmitate, (p) hexadecyl eicosanoate.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Examples of lipids degradation products detected in archaeological pottery samples: (a) ω-(ο-alkylphenyl)alkanoic acid, (b) 11,12-dihydroxydocosanoic acid, (c) pristanic acid, (d) azelaic acid, (e) ω-hydroxydodecanoic acid, (f) sitostanone, (g) cholestanone, (h) nonacosan-15-one, (i) n-nonacosane, (l) 7-oxodehydroabietic acid, (m) betulone.
Figure 3
Figure 3
GC–MS chromatogram of aged gondoic (A) and erucic (B) acid standards. Reprinted with the permission from Ref. [91]. Copyright 2005 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. Peak assignment is described as follows: (1) nonanoic acid, (2) (α,ω)-butanedioic acid, (3) decanoic acid, (4) (α,ω)-pentanedioic acid, (5) (α,ω)-hexanedioic acid, (6) (α,ω)-heptanedioic acid, (7) ω-hydroxyoctanoic acid, (8) dodecanoic acid, (9) (α,ω)-octanedioic acid, (10) ω-hydroxynonanoic acid, (11) (α,ω)-nonanedioic acid, (12) ω-hydroxydecanoic acid, (13) tetradecanoic acid, (14) (α,ω)-decanedioic acid, (15) ω-hydroxyundecanoic acid, (16) (α,ω)-undecanedioic acid, (17) ω-hydroxydodecanoic acid, (18) hexadecanoic acid, (19) (α,ω)-dodecanedioic acid, (20) ω-hydroxytridecanoic acid, (21) (α,ω)-tridecanedioic acid, (22) ω-hydroxytetradecanoic acid, (23) oleic acid, (24) octadecanoic acid, (25) (α,ω)-tetradecanedioic acid, (26) gondoic acid, (27) eicosanoic acid, (28) 9,10-dihydroxyoctadecanoic acid, (29) 9,10-dihydroxyoctadecanoic acid, (30) erucic acid, (31) docosanoic acid, (32) 11,12-dihydroxyeicosanoic acid, (33) 11,12-dihydroxyeicosanoic acid, (34) nervonic acid, (35) tetracosanoic acid, (36) 13,14-dihydroxydocosanoic acid and (37) 13,14-dihydroxydocosanoic acid. All compounds are intended as TMS derivatives.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Analytical workflows of both conventional solvent extraction (chloroform/methanol) and direct extraction derivatization protocols. Reproduced with kind permission of MDPI [115].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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