Light ageing mastic

Figure 5.7 GALDI mass spectra of mastic. Commercially available mastic (a) in an advanced state of oxidation as can be seen by comparison with really fresh mastic a few days after harvesting (b). As with dammar, oxidation and degradation progress quickly in both light and darkness. The same mastic as in (b) is depicted after natural ageing in the dark after 7 weeks (c), and in a window after 7 weeks (d) and 42 weeks (e)...

S. Zumbuhl, R. Knochenmuss, S. Wiilfert, F. Dubois, M.J. Dale, and R. Zenobi, A Graphite Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation Study of Light induced Aging in Triterpene Dammar and Mastic Varnishes, Anal. Chem., 70, 707 715 (1998). 

The botanical species exploited in the past for the collection of resins vary according to the geographical area, and thus, the availability of adequate reference materials of a known botanical origin is crucial for resin identification. Pine resin and resin-derived pitch, mastic, frankincense, myrrh, benzoe, and birch bark tar are the most common terpenoid materials in archaeological artifacts from the Mediterranean area. Terpenic resin composition depends on aging and exposure to air and light, so the biomarkers used for their identification are... 

Zumbiihl, S., Knochemnuss, R., Wiilfert, S., Dubois, R, Dale, M.J., Zenobi, R. (1998) A graphite-assisted laser desorption/ionization study of light-induced aging in trit-erpene dammer and mastic varnishes. Anal. Chem., 70, 707. 

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