Review—Electrochemical and SERS Sensors for Cultural Heritage Diagnostics and Conservation: Recent Advances and Prospects

Abstract

This review presents the last advances concerning the application to cultural heritage of analytical sensors based on surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and electrochemical transduction. Analytical diagnostics on a work of art is indeed fundamental for dating, restoration and conservation purposes and analytical sensors can provide reliable information at a competitive cost, being usable by non-specialized personal in raw samples and therefore suitable for on-site analysis. After a brief overview on the problem and specificities related to the analysis of works of art, principles and application of SERS for sensing pigments and dyes in paintings is reviewed. Concerning electrochemical sensors, the use of the so-called voltammetry of microparticles is introduced and discussed. For the analysis of macromolecules of biological origin such as protein binders in ancient paintings, the development of immunosensors which exploit SERS or electrochemical detection is presented together with the discussion of the role that advanced nanomaterials plays in improving the functioning of such devices. Finally, prospects and limits derived from the application of the above sensing devices for diagnostics and monitoring of cultural heritage are discussed.