Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Fluorescent Surface Mapping Of Mastodon Tusk, Clare Laubenthal, Joshua Sebree

Mastodon Tusk Project Posters

The subject of study is a Mammut americanum (American Mastodon) tusk. The tusk is currently damaged and in need of repair. To better understand the tusk and the preservation materials previously used, fluorescence spectrometry was used to make a surface map of the tusk. This data will be useful to the conservationists as they plan the care and restoration of the tusk.

Energy-Dispersive X-Ray (Edx) Mapping Of Lead In Mastodon Tusk Using Sem, Nicholas Bonde, Katherine Plotzke

Mastodon Tusk Project Posters

The composition and location of lead within a prehistoric mastodon tusk was mapped using Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy analysis via a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). This analysis was intended to provide information on the distribution of lead throughout the tusk. Data collected from this analysis has provided insights into the sources of the lead.

An In Between Study: The Usage Of Cross-Sectional Sem And Raman Spectroscopy To Map The Surface Interfacing Of A Mastodon Tusk And Its Lacquers, Katherine Plotzke

Mastodon Tusk Project Posters

A microscopy study utilizing a DXR2 SmartRaman and Evex Mini-Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was done on the UNI Museum’s Mammut americanum (American Mastodon) tusk. A map of the surface interfacing was generated and provided information about the elemental composition and layer interconnectedness. Additionally, this project will also aid in the future restoration work on the tusk funded by the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust.

What Is The Red Plaster In The Mastodon Tusk?, Tray Hickie

Mastodon Tusk Project Posters

During the first visit to the tusk, Dr. Sebree found the crack that had been filled with a strange plaster that was not known at the time.

After seeing the plaster glow from the small flashlight Dr. Sebree had with him, identifying this material seemed like an interesting project.

Due to the fact that the plaster’s makeup is unknown, but identifying the material it was made of, future attempts to restore and preserve the fossil can be done more safely in the event that the material is harmful

Initial x-ray analysis of the mastodon tusk revealed many unexpected surprises.

In …

Classification Of Tusk Layers By Means Of Raman Spectroscopy, Treasure Divis, Vaughn Koch

Mastodon Tusk Project Posters

The American Mastodon tusk was donated to the University of Northern Iowa, and Dr. J. Cable took the lead on preserving it for museum display at UNI. Dr. Cable’s notes stated that it would be possible to preserve the entire tusk, because the outside was “covered with a hard enamel-like substance”. Some notes were taken as to what materials were used to preserve the tusk early on, but their exact composition was not noted.

• Glazed and varnished between 1933 and 1960

• 1960 – canned patching plaster on chipping areas, glazing liquid (brown), two coats of varnish (satin finish …

Carbonization Studies On Mammut Americanum Tusk, Nina Jocic

Mastodon Tusk Project Posters

Many preservation attempts have been made on the tusk that the University of Northern Iowa acquired. Due to the poor preservation attempts a lot of damage has happened and has caused the tusk to be in a way of disrepair. The Carver grant is very keen on the future preservation of the tusk. The sublimation of nucleobases will be able to help guide the type of preservation methods used in order to preserve the nucleobases and possible DNA still in the tusk. The extraction of nucleobases will not only help with the future preservation of tusk but it will also …

Analysis Of Mammut Americanum Tusk For Asbestos, Madeline C. Roach, Joshua A. Sebree

Mastodon Tusk Project Posters

On September 23, 1933, a tusk was discovered in a gravel pit four miles south of Hampton, Iowa. After careful analysis, the tusk was determined to belong to a Mastodon americanus.1 The University of Northern Iowa museum records note that the tusk was patched with a prepared patching plaster in the 1960’s.2 In the United States at the time Alvar was the most commonly used consolidate to form a plaster. It was either mixed with acetone, alcohol and other solvents, or asbestos.3 The museum record notes indicate that the patching plaster was prepared in a can, like a spackling compound.2 …

Sem Topology Of Enamel, Tami Wallin

Mastodon Tusk Project Posters

The topology of the enamel is an important topic to study how, on a microscopic level, the surface of the tusk is rough or smooth so that the correct restoration material and method are applied to the tusk. The method of study to find this information will be the SEM; which with the back scattered electrons will tell me the topography and chemical composition on the surface of the mastodon tusk fragment that will be tested, shown in the image below. SEM has better spacial resolution than optical microscopes do with the measuring tool provided by the program and the …

Determination And Quantification Of Lead Content In Mammut Americanus Dentine Material By Anodic Stripping Voltammetry, Emma R. Shipley

Mastodon Tusk Project Posters

A 120,000-200,000 year old mastodon tusk of species Mammut americanus, recovered from Hampton, Iowa in 1933 (right) was tested for lead using a lead test from Home Depot.1 The lead test was returned positive, so Anodic Stripping Voltammetry (ASV) was undertaken to determine the concentration of lead in the dentine material of the tusk. The lead concentration is of interest because lead could affect both the health of the conservator and researchers and also inform about the diet of the mastodon. Tusk dentine material (left) functions similarly to human teeth, and studies have shown that 90% of lead in the …

Removal Of Varnish Layers Verifying With Uv-Vis Spectroscopy, Vaughn Koch, Treasure Divis

Mastodon Tusk Project Posters

According to the Roy J. Carver grant, one of the goals is to get the mastodon tusk back to its original state. The preservation methods have not been well documented, therefore determining what the best solvents to remove the different layers needs to be known. In order to do this, various solvents will be used and confirmed through UV-vis spectroscopy with a Diffuse Reflectance Accessory (DRA) attached. This will measure the percentage of light that gets reflected back towards the detector. The image to the left shows the various layers that have been used in preserving the tusk, including some …

Quantitative Evaluation Of Heavy Metals In The Mastodon Tusk Ivory By Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy, Dmytro V. Kravchuck, Linda L. Wilson

Mastodon Tusk Project Posters

One of the most important objects in the University of Northern Iowa Museum collection is the Mammut Americanum (American Mastodon) tusk, which was originally found in 1933 in a sand pit south of Hampton, Iowa. Since then, severe mechanical and chemical damage was done to the tusk in attempts of restoration and storage, as shown in Figure 1. In order to address these problems, the UNI Museum was awarded a Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust Grant to restore and preserve the American Mastodon tusk. The purpose of the project is quantitative determination of the heavy metal content in the core …

Sem/Edx Chemical Composition Map Of Mastodon Tusk, Juliana Herran

Mastodon Tusk Project Posters

The goal of this project was to study one of the rarest objects in the collection of the UNI museum dating to the Aftonian or Yarmouth age (around 120,000 to 200,000 years old).

The tusk is 11 feet, 7.5 inches with a circumference at the proximal end of 2 feet, 2 inches.

There have been previous attempts of restoration of this tusk but there are not specific procedures on record that specify the materials or methods used during the restoration attempts with sufficient detail.

With the support of the Carver Grant awarded to the UNI museum, research teams containing students …

Nucleobase Sublimation On Mammut Americanum Tusk Fragments, Joshua Prybil

Mastodon Tusk Project Posters

Many preservation attempts have been made on the tusk that the University of Northern Iowa acquired. Due to the poor preservation attempts a lot of damage has happened and has caused the tusk to be in a way of disrepair. The Carver grant is very keen on the future preservation of the tusk. The sublimation of nucleobases will be able to help guide the type of preservation methods used in order to preserve the nucleobases and possible DNA still in the tusk. The extraction of nucleobases will not only help with the future preservation of tusk but it will also …