Analysis of micro-particles vacuumed from the Turin Shroud

Aim of the present analysis of particles, in the range of 3-30 m, vacuumed from the Turin Shroud, is to perform a classification and possibly to refer them to the environments in which, from historical information, it results that the Shroud was exposed. Grains of pollen, linen and cotton fibers, mites, spores and fungi, mineral particles and particles possibly coming from body fluids have been studied and the classification of some of these particles has been possible. The attention has been focalized to the pollen grains, to see if M. Frei’s results can be confirmed or not, without forgetting a more general view of the analysis with the aim to detect which kind of new information can useful for the Shroud studies. The main results are: pollen analysis seems in agreement with M. Frei’s results; there are few cotton fiber mixed with linen ones; many mineral particles are compatible with the Jerusalem soil.