Improper burial and storage conditions significantly impact the degradation process of mummies. Factors such as pressure, fluctuations in humidity and temperature, and exposure to light can accelerate this degradation. This study focuses on understanding the degradation mechanism of a mummy from the Late Period, currently stored in the excavation stores at Saqqara, Giza, Egypt. Various techniques including temperature and humidity monitoring, light intensity measurement, internal water content analysis, digital microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (FESEM-EDX), X-ray radiography, internal endoscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and isolation and identification of fungi were employed to investigate the mummy's condition. The study found that the soil's mechanical stress caused bone fractures in the mummy's body. Increased humidity led to the dissolution of natron salt, which penetrated the body and surface, resulting in decay of soft tissue and bone. Various microscopes revealed cracks, insect holes, and other damage. Internal endoscopy confirmed body removal and decay. X-ray radiography showed the brain had been removed without resin filling the space. FTIR analysis identified the presence of natron salt, bitumen, beeswax, Arabic gum, and plant oil in the mummification process. Additionally, it showed the chemical stability changes in the mummy components. Fungi such as Penicillium implicatum, Aspergillus flavus, and Trichoderma sp. were also identified. (c) 2024 Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.

Because an element's chemical species affects toxicity, environmental mobility, and bioavailability, speciation analysis is vital in contemporary analytical chemistry. In recent years, attempts have been undertaken to identify not just components but also their species. This review highlights the latest methodologies and techniques in environmental analytical chemistry to address this tendency. Different sample treatment processes are introduced and explained, with an emphasis on employing modern nanomaterials and novel solvents in the solid phase and liquid-liquid microextraction, and on speciation analysis. An in-depth examination of experimental methods for separating and quantifying metal and metalloid species, from chromatography to electrochemistry, is also offered. This research emphasizes the greenness of these achievements, analyzing their green chemistry and environmental effects. Identifying and quantifying an element's chemistry is called element speciation. Because an element's toxicity depends on its chemical form, specification analysis is a popular issue in environmental research. Trace element levels in environmental samples have been heavily studied. Total elemental composition no longer indicates toxicity in risk assessment. Speciation analysis measures the relative concentrations of an element's physicochemical forms in a sample. Physicochemical forms include gaseous, solid, and liquid substances. It's frequently required to specialize when studying the damaging and life-saving effects of trace elements. (c) 2024 L&H Scientific Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.