AGRECHEM-English (until 2019)

The AGRECHEM centre of excellence functioned until 2019.

On 28 May 2018, the journal Angewandte Chemie launched a special issue dedicated to State-of-the-art chemical studies in Heritage cience, partially overlapping with a virtual issue on the same topic.

The AXES group has contributed with two recent papers to this issue related to (undesired) photocatalyzed reactions negatively influencing the sustainability of artworks:

1. F. Vanmeert, E. Hendriks, G. Van der Snickt, L. Monico, J. Dik, and K. Janssens, Chemical mapping by Macroscopic X-ray powder diffraction (MA-XRPD) of Van Gogh's Sunflowers allows to identify areas with higher degradation risk, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2018, DOI:10.1002/anie.201713293
2. C. Miliani, L. Monico, S. Fantacci, A. Romani, M.J. Melo, E.M. Angelin, K. Janssens, Recent insights into the photochemistry of artists' pigments and dyes: towards better understanding and prevention of colour change in works of art, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2018, DOI:10.1002/anie.201802801

The first, devoted to a new method to map the risk of pigment degradation in iconic paintings, will appear on the back cover of the print version of the special issue.

Other AXES papers on the same theme also included in the same virtual issue:

1.  L. Monico, K. Janssens, E. Hendriks, F. Vanmeert, G. Van der Snickt, M. Cotte, G. Falkenberg, B.G. Brunetti, C. Miliani, Evidence for Degradation of the Chrome Yellows in Van Gogh’s Sunflowers: A Study Using Noninvasive In Situ Methods and Synchrotron-Radiation-Based X-ray Techniques, Angewandte Chemie – International Edition, 54 (2015) 13923–13927. DOI:10.1002/anie.201505840
2. F. Vanmeert, G. Van der Snickt, K. Janssens, Plumbonacrite Identified by X-ray Powder Diffraction Tomography as a Missing Link during Degradation of Red Lead in a Van Gogh Painting, Angewandte Chemie – International Edition, 54 (2015) 3607-3610. DOI:10.1002/anie.201411691
3. H.Y. Tan, H. Tian, J. Verbeeck, L. Monico, K. Janssens, G. Van Tendeloo, Nanoscale Investigation of the Degradation Mechanism of a Historical Chrome Yellow Paint by Quantitative Electron Energy Loss spectroscopy Mapping of Chromium Species, Angewandte Chemie – International Edition, 52 (2013) 11360-11363. DOI: 10.1002/anie.201305753

Another paper (second in the above list), focusing on the spontaneous but unwanted transformation of red lead (Pb₃O₄) to lead white (PbCO₃) appeared on an earlier cover of Angewandte Chemie.

Yet another paper that appeared on the cover of Angewandte Chemie concerned the use of chemical imaging to render more effective and more sustainable the conservation of the Ghent Altarpiece, the master piece of Jan Van Eyck:G. Van der Snickt, H. Dubois, J. Sanyova, S. Legrand, A. Coudray, C. Glaude, M. Postec, P. Van Espen and K. Janssens, Large area Elemental Imaging Reveals Van Eyck’s Original Paint Layers on the Ghent Altarpiece (1432), rescoping its Conservation Treatment, Angewandte Chemie – International Edition, 129 (2017) 4797-4801. DOI: 10.1002/anie.201700707​

Other recent cover papers:

F. Vanmeert, W. De Nolf, J. Dik, K. Janssens, Macroscopic X-ray powder diffraction scanning: possibilities for quantitative and depth-selective parchment analysis, Analytical Chemistry, DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b00241.

 S. Trashin, V. Rahemi, K. Ramji, L. Neven, S. M. Gorun and K. De Wael, Singlet oxygen-based electrosensing by molecular photosensitizers, Nature Communications 8, 16108 (2017) . DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1610.​

M. de Jong, A. Florea, A.-M. de Vries, A. L. N. van Nuijs, A. Covaci, F. Van Durme, J. C. Martins, N. Samyn and K. De Wael, Levamisole: a Common Adulterant in Cocaine Street Samples Hindering Electrochemical Detection of Cocaine, Analytical Chemistry, 90 (2018) 5290-5297. DOI: 10.1039/c5sc04309c

Other recent publications in high impact journals:

1. M. de Jong, N. Sleegers, J. Kim, F. Van Durme, N. Samyn, J. Wang and K. De Wael, Electrochemical fingerprint of street samples for fast on-site screening of cocaine in seized drug powders, Chemical Science, 7 (2016) 2364-23670. DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b00204
2. S. De Henau, L. Tilleman, M. Vangheel, E. Luyckx, S. Trashin, M. Pauwels, F. Germani, C. Vlaeminck, J. R. Vanfleteren, W. Bert, A. Pesce, M. Nardini, M. Bolognesi, K. De Wael, L. Moens, S. Dewilde and B. P. Braeckman, A redox signalling globin is essential for reproduction in Caenorhabditis elegans, Nature Communications 6, 8782 (2015) . DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9782
3. P. Benito, G. Nuyts, M. Monti, W. De Nolf, G. Fornasari, K. Janssens, E. Scavetta, A. Vaccari, Stable Rh particles in hydrotalcite-derived catalysts coated on FeCrAlloy foams by electrosynthesis, Applied Catalysis B – Environmental, 179 (2015) 321-332. DOI: 10.1016/j.apcatb.2015.05.035 
4. P. Benito, W. de Nolf, G. Nuyts, M. Monti, G. Fornasari, F. Basile, K. Janssens, F. Ospitali, E. Scavetta, D. Tonelli, and A. Vaccari, Role of Coating-Metallic Support Interaction in the Properties of Electrosynthesized Rh-Based Structured Catalysts, ACS Catalysis, 4 (2014) 3779–3790. DOI: 10.1021/cs501079k
5. W. Anaf, K. Janssens and K. De Wael Formation of Metallic Mercury During Photodegradation/Photodarkening of α‐HgS: Electrochemical Evidence, Angewandte Chemie, 52 (2013) 12568-12751. DOI: 10.1002/anie.201303977

Yet another paper that appeared on the cover of Angewandte Chemie concerned the use of chemical imaging to render more effective and more sustainable the conservation of the Ghent Altarpiece, the master piece of Jan Van Eyck:G. Van der Snickt, H. Dubois, J. Sanyova, S. Legrand, A. Coudray, C. Glaude, M. Postec, P. Van Espen and K. Janssens, Large area Elemental Imaging Reveals Van Eyck’s Original Paint Layers on the Ghent Altarpiece (1432), rescoping its Conservation Treatment, Angewandte Chemie – International Edition, 129 (2017) 4797-4801. DOI: 10.1002/anie.201700707

Other recent cover papers:

F. Vanmeert, W. De Nolf, J. Dik, K. Janssens, Macroscopic X-ray powder diffraction scanning: possibilities for quantitative and depth-selective parchment analysis, Analytical Chemistry, DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b00241.

S. Trashin, V. Rahemi, K. Ramji, L. Neven, S. M. Gorun and K. De Wael, Singlet oxygen-based electrosensing by molecular photosensitizers, Nature Communications 8, 16108 (2017) . DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1610​.

M. de Jong, A. Florea, A.-M. de Vries, A. L. N. van Nuijs, A. Covaci, F. Van Durme, J. C. Martins, N. Samyn and K. De Wael, Levamisole: a Common Adulterant in Cocaine Street Samples Hindering Electrochemical Detection of Cocaine, Analytical Chemistry, 90 (2018) 5290-5297. DOI: 10.1039/c5sc04309c

Other recent publications in high impact journals:

1. M. de Jong, N. Sleegers, J. Kim, F. Van Durme, N. Samyn, J. Wang and K. De Wael, Electrochemical fingerprint of street samples for fast on-site screening of cocaine in seized drug powders, Chemical Science, 7 (2016) 2364-23670. DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b00204
2. S. De Henau, L. Tilleman, M. Vangheel, E. Luyckx, S. Trashin, M. Pauwels, F. Germani, C. Vlaeminck, J. R. Vanfleteren, W. Bert, A. Pesce, M. Nardini, M. Bolognesi, K. De Wael, L. Moens, S. Dewilde and B. P. Braeckman, A redox signalling globin is essential for reproduction in Caenorhabditis elegans, Nature Communications 6, 8782 (2015) . DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9782
3. P. Benito, G. Nuyts, M. Monti, W. De Nolf, G. Fornasari, K. Janssens, E. Scavetta, A. Vaccari, Stable Rh particles in hydrotalcite-derived catalysts coated on FeCrAlloy foams by electrosynthesis, Applied Catalysis B – Environmental, 179 (2015) 321-332. DOI: 10.1016/j.apcatb.2015.05.035 
4. P. Benito, W. de Nolf, G. Nuyts, M. Monti, G. Fornasari, F. Basile, K. Janssens, F. Ospitali, E. Scavetta, D. Tonelli, and A. Vaccari, Role of Coating-Metallic Support Interaction in the Properties of Electrosynthesized Rh-Based Structured Catalysts, ACS Catalysis, 4 (2014) 3779–3790. DOI: 10.1021/cs501079k
5. W. Anaf, K. Janssens and K. De Wael Formation of Metallic Mercury During Photodegradation/Photodarkening of α‐HgS: Electrochemical Evidence, Angewandte Chemie, 52 (2013) 12568-12751. DOI: 10.1002/anie.201303977