Examen de muestras minerales de las minas de Bielsa y Eriste

El presente artículo presenta el análisis mineralógico e isotópico de muestras de mineral y escorias de las minas de plomo de Bielsa y Eriste, como parte de un estudio isotópico de este elemento en el Pirineo oscense.This work presents the mineralogical and isotopic analysis of ore and slag samples from the lead mines of Bielsa and Eriste, as part of an isotopic study of this element in the Pyrenees

GC-ICP-MS/MS Instrumental Setup for Total and Speciation Sulfur Analysis in Gasolines using Generic Standards

Quantitative characterization of sulfur-containing petroleum derivatives is mainly limited by the large number of potential targets present and the matrix effects suffered due to the high-carbon-containing matrices. Herein we describe the instrumental modifications required in a commercial GC-ICP-MS/MS instrument, and their corresponding optimization, for turning it into a compound-independent quantitative technique for both total and speciation sulfur analysis in gasolines. Additionally, carbon-derived matrix effects were made negligible for direct and fast total S analysis, making the use of relatively complex isotope-dilution strategies not necessary anymore. An absolute detection limit of 0.3 pg of S was achieved, which is, to the best of our knowledge, more than 1 order of magnitude below the ones reported for other sulfur GC selective detectors. The precision was below 3% RSD. Total analysis was performed by flow-injection analysis through a transfer line and external calibration, whereas speciation analysis was carried out by chromatographic separation and internal standardization. In both cases, simple generic standards were used, which enabled us to get rid of specific S-containing standards, which were sometimes not available or unstable. The proposed method was successfully applied to total and speciation sulfur analysis of a commercial gasoline sample and validated with a certified-reference-material (ERM-EF213) gasoline. The approach has proved to be simple, fast, robust, and convenient for implementation in routine laboratories, as demonstrated by the successive analyses of 50 gasoline samples in 3 h without any instrumental drift

The quest for the soldier’s rest: Combining anthropological and archaeochemical approaches to study social and occupational diversity in the medieval graveyard of Aan Andrés de arroyo (Palencia, Spain)

The monastery of San Andrés de Arroyo (established in 1181) is one the best examples of Cistercian architecture in the Spanish region of Castilla y León. In this study, strontium isotope ratios were used to study the population of the recently excavated graveyard of this monastery. Twenty-nine individuals (of which 13 had preserved teeth) found in burials from the 13th and 14th centuries were subjected to analysis. Enamel 87Sr/86Sr ratio values obtained by using a multicollector ICP-MS instrument were used to distinguish between local and non-local individuals. Additionally, an anthropological study based on entheseal changes and other paleopathological conditions was carried out in all the exhumed individuals. This combined data allowed us to define the chemical and osteological diversity of a medieval Spanish monastery and its surrounding village. Among the usual profiles for a rural society, two individuals, both showing strong indications of being foreign to the area, were found to exhibit evidence of physical activities compatible with military training and activity. The present study can be considered as the first experimental indication that during the 13th and 14th centuries Spanish monasteries served as a last refuge for soldiers, which is compatible with historical records and previous indirect evidence