indigo-carmine and alizarin

We present here a method requiring no sample preparation for direct identification of the organic dye compounds quercetin, indigotin, and alizarin in reference materials, in solution, and also in situ in dyed fibers by use of direct analysis in real time (DART) ionization and high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Exact mass determinations on small samples of dyed textiles were completed in less than 1 min. With the ability to identify flavonoid, indigoid, and anthraquinone classes of dyes, this technique shows early promise as an additional analytical tool in the challenging analysis of organic dyes in rare cultural heritage materials and possesses the unique advantages of sensitivity and simplicity without the preparatory procedures required by other methods.

Topics: Anthraquinones; Coloring Agents; Flavonoids; Indigo Carmine; Indoles; Quercetin; Reference Standards; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; Textiles