Investigation of historical dart poisons using synchrotron based infrared microscopy and spectroscopy

Museum Victoria holds in its Indigenous Collection a number of poison darts and arrows from Southeast Asia and Africa. Synchrotron FTIR microspectroscopy was used to analyse the stained tips of three sets of small wooden darts from Southeast Asia covering three collection periods between 1873 and 1971. As part of an on-going project for the identification of hazardous substances in the collection, we wished to identify if poisons were present on these items, and if present whether they were still active and whether they pose a risk to staff working with the collection. Infrared spectra in the mid-IR region and transmission mode were recorded from small sample areas of particles recovered from each of the darts. The presence of cardiac glycoside, calcium oxalate, plant proteins and carbohydrates in the spectra have enabled us to confirm the presence of and to identify toxins on the darts.