3D Fluorescence Characterization of Synthetic Organic Dyes—Effect of pH

Abstract

The fingerprint character and high sensitivity of 3D UV-vis fluorescence spectra offer special advantages for identifica tion of dyes in a museum or forensic setting. However, the extraction process is likely to affect the pH of the medium and, in some cases, may alter the dye itself. We report a study of 65 dyes extracted from wool fibers that are part of the Schweppe Collection of Important Synthetic Dyes. The 3D fluorescence spectra of the dye extract s at pH 1 and pH 14 are compared with the same dyes from the Schweppe solution library, run under the same conditions, as well as with the 3D fluorescence spectra of the dyes taken directly from the solution library without pH control. This analysis leads to guidelines for the use of such spectra in identifying unknown dye samples.