A simple multi-analytical approach for the detection of oxidative and biological degradation of polymers in contemporary artworks Natalia Macro a,b* , Marcella Ioele b , Massimo Lazzari c a University of L’Aquila, Physical and Chemical sciences department, L’Aquila, Italy b Istituto superiore per la conservazione ed il restauro (ISCR), Rome, Italy c Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CiQUS), and Departamento de Química Física, Facultade de Química, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain *Corresponding author: Name: Natalia Macro Email: natalia.macro89@gmail.com Abstract Conservation of contemporary art can be a particularly hard task due to the numerous different techniques and materials adopted by artists worldwide. Due to sampling restriction it is particularly difficult to deeply study the decay mechanism and develop new strategies for their protection. This paper presents results obtained applying a fast and reliable analytical approach to the study of the materials used in Teca con Frutta, by Massimo Zuppelli. The artwork, made in 1967, is a typical example of Arte Povera, realized using materials particularly prone to fast degradation. The choice of accessible and fast analytical techniques such as optical microscopy, micro Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (micro-FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) allowed to easily recognize the materials used by the artist as low-density polyethylene spray painted with nitrocellulose and alkyd resin based products. Furthermore, this paper shows how this simple analytical approach made possible to assess the presence of oxidative and biological degradation, which normally require expensive and complicated techniques. These results stress how the application of complementary techniques, associated in a manageable methodology, can provide information of invaluable utility for the study of multi-materials contemporary artworks. Keywords Contemporary art, plastic, micro-FTIR, DSC, SEM-EDS 1. Introduction Since the beginning of the XX century, synthetic plastics have played a significant role in many aspects of the modern society. The incredible adaptability of these materials, intended as organic polymers, has made them indispensable for numerous