Our friends at ChemistryWorld recently published a piece about how thin layer chromatography was used in connection with other analytical methods to determine the use of synthetic dyes in the clothing industry throughout the 1800s.

Here’s a few excerpts:

‘This analysis reveals important information for conservators and curators of fashion, raising interesting observations and questions,’ saysJeffrey Church, a molecular spectroscopist at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia who worked on the study with colleagues from the National Gallery of Victoria…

After taking small samples from each dress, the researchers separated and analysed the dyes and mordants, which are used to bind the dyes to the material, using various techniques, including thin layer chromatography, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy

You can see the complete article by clicking here.