Professional profile
Conservation Scientist | Analithical Systems Developer | Geologist | Applyed Phisicist
Researcher at the CNR ISPC, Catania branch since 2001. From 1994 until today, she has been devoted to the research field of the development of innovative portable analytical systems for the non-destructive characterization of a wide range of materials in the Cultural Heritage field.
Her scientific activity is, in particular, focused on the development of new non-destructive techniques (PIXE, XRF and XRD) to be performed by portable systems. PIXE-alpha is a non-destructive technique that allows the very superficial (10-15 microns) elemental analysis. Such a spectrometer is very useful for the in-situ and non-destructive surface analysis of several matherials, such as pigments, alteration patinas and, in general, superficial analyses.
Other research field includes spectrometric techiniques (XRF, both with radioactive sources and tubes), micro-xrf and XRD. All the mentioned techniques are performed by using portable systems. Recent scientific activity includes the development of a new XPIXE portable spectrometer, based on a Cm-244 source and the optimization softwares (GUPIXWIN, GUAPX) for the quantitative analysis performed by PIXE and XPIXE techniques.
Thanks to her accademic geological formation, she is always specialized in the chemical, petrografic and mineralogcal characterization of different kind od geological materials, such as clays, building materials and in general, archaeological manufact of geological nature.
MUR Italian Scientific-Disciplinary Sector
- PHYS-06/A Physics for Life Sciences, the Environment, and Cultural Heritage
- ARCH-01/G Archaeological Research Methods
Groups & Labs CNR ISPC
XRAYLab →
Heritage Materials Science Lab →
Heritage Conservation Lab →
Publications
Highlight
A. Pautasso, V. Chillemi, A. Pace, L. Pappalardo (2022). Né fornaci né matrici: evidenza indiretta e produzione coroplastica. Il caso di Katane, In «Craft Economy» and Terracotta Figurines. Approaching Systems of Production through Coroplastic Studies: Panel 3.14, a cura di S. Huysecom‑Haxhi e A. Pautasso, pp. 25–40. Archaeology and Economy in the Ancient World: Proceedings of the 19th International Congress of Classical Archaeology, Cologne Bonn 2018, 16. Heidelberg: Propylaeum. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11588/propylaeum.874.c11408
H. C. Santos, C. Caliri, L. Pappalardo, F. Rizzo, F. P. Romano (2021). MA‑XRF and XRD analysis revealing a polychrome Centuripe vase, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 35: 102760. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2020.102760
F.P Romano, C. Caliri, P. Nicotra, S. Di Martino, L. Pappalardo, F. Rizzo, H. C. Santos (2017). Real‑time elemental imaging of large dimension paintings with a novel mobile macro X‑ray fluorescence (MA‑XRF) scanning technique, Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry 4: 773–781. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/C6JA00439C
