The aim of this work was optimisation of ovalbumin (egg protein) detection in protein paint model samples containing two different copper pigments – malachite and verdigris, using ELISA assay. This is first in-depth and systematic study in heritage science where the effect of copper ions on paint degradation was studied by ion concentration monitoring. We also studied how degradation and sample preparation procedures (comparison of non-purified and purified samples) effect on protein detection using ELISA. One of the most important contributions of this study to heritage science is 100-fold improvement of ovalbumin detection limit in non-degraded verdigris paint and 10-fold improvement in degraded verdigris paint. Difference between purifying effect on ovalbumin detection using ELISA in malachite and verdigris paint most likely originates from solubility difference of those pigments.
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