Principal Component Analysis to interpret changes in chromatic parameters on paint dosimeters exposed long-term to urban air

•Novel research to detect color changes on model paints exposed long-term to urban air.•Innovative method to track color changes based on PCA applied to discrete color data.•Influence of binder and nature and grain size of pigment on paints weathering.•Key data for restoration/preventive conservation works of urban air exposed paints.

Atmospheric pollutants can originate the decay of historic paintings exposed to the outdoor elements. This is a cause of great concern, since such contaminants can produce physical-chemical alterations manifested initially in undesirable color change. This paper tests an unsupervised multivariate approach on discrete data color parameters in a pioneering study which combines spectrophotometric data and principal components analysis to detect unaesthetic color change on paint dosimeters in (semi)open-air monuments exposed long-term to the urban atmosphere of the city of Granada (South Spain). To this end the chromatic parameter of the CIEL*a*b* and CIEL*C*h* systems (L*, a*, b*, h*, C* and ΔE) were used as variables for subsequent multivariate analysis in order to determine the intrinsic color change trends. The aim is to evaluate the specific chromatic parameter(s) that cause the unaesthetic damage for each type of paint dosimeter, while also considering the influence of the binder (egg yolk/rabbit glue), the pigment (azurite, malachite and lapis lazuli) and for the first time, the grain size of the studied pigments (azurite). Results demonstrated that this approach is capable of discriminating samples on the basis of dosimeter composition, so enabling interpretation of their aging process. Azurite and lapis lazuli-laden dosimeters tended to turn green over time as a result of exposure to city air regardless of binder composition and location. By contrast, all malachite-laden dosimeters became bluer over time. Luminosity remained stronger in dosimeters prepared with collagen, an important parameter in binder discrimination. This information is also of great value for restoration purposes.