The article I chose to write about is the analysis of residues of smoking pipe fragments from the archaeological site of Feltus. In this article, the archaeologist conducted research and tests on the residues of six smoking pipes found at the Feltus site, located in the lower Mississippi River valley. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Assay The method used to identify different compounds in the residue is called gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). They used this method to determine whether Paleoindians at the time used tobacco by looking for traces of nicotine. This testing method can be used to identify various compounds found at archaeological sites that contain more than one element, such as pipe residue. This testing method is also applied to many other fields such as drug detection at airports, environmental analysis and fire investigations. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry is a highly advanced machine that can analyze trace amounts of chemicals to identify which elements make up that compound. GC/MS can be applied to a wide variety of situations, for example, in this article it was used to identify compounds that make up residues in smoking pipes. This method combines two different components, the gas chromatograph and the mass spectrometer. The gas chromatograph consists of a capillary column that can have different sizes and widths and contain different types of phase properties. The gas chromatograph stimulates the separation of molecules as they travel through the column, after which the molecules are released from the column to the mass spectrometer, which then further breaks them down into ionized particles which can then be identified using their mass-to-charge ratios. The combined use of these two methods allows for a better degree of identification than using them separately. This method has made great contributions to archeology and other fields of study. GC/MS has even been called the “Gold Standard” of forensic testing. This method is the best available today for testing substances. One of the reasons this method is so revered is because it can test for trace amounts with one hundred percent ability to identify certain substances. This method is important for archeology because it can be used to identify mixtures of objects such as clay pots, smoke residues from pipes, and food residues from kitchen artifacts. While GC/MS doesn't require perfect weather conditions or a large sample size, it does require a machine and a lab. The cost of this machine can run into the thousands of dollars, but to test a sample the cost is around $150 on eBay through a company called Millis Scientific (eBay). So, depending on the number of samples and the information it would provide, the cost seems reasonable by today's standards, taking into account that a DNA test costs about the same. Please note: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Even though GC/MS is considered the “Gold Standard,” it still has its limitations. For example, it can only identify certain substances, it cannot date them or explain how they got there. This is when the archaeologist takes the information, applies it to the sites, and puts it into context. Like the residue of the pipe that tested positive for nicotine at the Feltus site. This would imply that the Indians probably smoked tobacco. I am very supportive of this method and believe it is worth it. I support this.