BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Talks.cam//talks.cam.ac.uk//
X-WR-CALNAME:Talks.cam
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:New developments in compound specific analysis of ancient biomolec
 ules in archaeology - Dr Thibaut Deviese\, University of Oxford
DTSTART:20190531T121500Z
DTEND:20190531T130000Z
UID:TALK124195@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Emily Tilby
DESCRIPTION:Over the last few decades\, mass spectrometry\, used for stabl
 e isotope analyses and radiocarbon dating\, has been evolving very rapidly
  towards more robust\, faster\, precise and accurate instrumentation. Such
  improvement is however pointless if we fail to also improve the preparati
 on of the samples to be measured because contamination\, even if present a
 t trace level\, can affect the data produced and lead to erroneous interpr
 etations. \nMore precise results can be achieved when radiocarbon dating o
 r measuring isotopic values of specific molecules (e.g. specific amino aci
 ds\, fatty acids or alkanes) instead of bulk materials but instrumentation
  to do so on a routine basis is not yet widely available in the environmen
 tal and archaeological sciences. The time required to prepare samples and 
 the costs of the solvents are two other bottlenecks in the process that ne
 ed to be addressed.\nThis paper will present new methodologies recently de
 veloped at the University of Oxford for compound specific analysis of anci
 ent biomolecules. These will be illustrated by several case studies. 
LOCATION:South Lecture Room\, McDonald Institute for Archaeological Resear
 ch\, Downing Site
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR