An Analysis of Systematic Elemental Changes in Decomposing Bone

Walden, Steven J.; Mulville, Jacqueline; Rowlands, Jeffrey; Evans, Samuel Lewin

doi:10.1111/1556-4029.13480

Cited by 9 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…In qualitative and semiquantitative analyses, Na, Zn, and Ba showed variation in concentration among the conditions. Thus, some elements can be used to estimate the PMI as shown in the previous report [3]. However, additional analyses with more time points at the initial stage are needed to clarify the relation between elements and the PMI.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Estimating the PMI of skeletal remains a major challenge in forensic science, with various techniques previously used, including IR/Raman microscopic imaging, ICP-OES, and radiocarbon dating [1][2][3]7]. Although these studies have provided valuable information, a reliable marker has not been established to estimate the PMI of skeletal remains.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The slice thickness was 0.020 mm. The scanned data were analyzed using VGStudio Max 3.2 (Volume Graphics GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany) by three-dimensional volume rendering methods, and volumes in mm 3 were obtained. All procedures were performed by a single researcher, and the samples were analyzed in random order.…”

Section: Bone Density Measurement By Micro X-ray Ctmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In particular, in cases of skeletal remains, the PMI becomes very difficult to estimate because soft tissues decrease substantially or completely. Many researchers have focused on the development of novel methods, including infrared (IR)/Raman microscopic imaging techniques [1,2], inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) [3], or microcomputed tomography (µCT) [4,5]. In addition, combinations of techniques have been reported, such as the combined use of different physicochemical methods [6], luminol and microscopic techniques to screen bones before the use of radiocarbon dating [7], ultraviolet (UV)-induced fluorescence and 490 nm induced fluorescence [8], and µCT, mid-infrared microscopic imaging, and energy-dispersive X-ray mapping [9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Element analyses are often used in the field of archeology and have recently been applied in forensic science to examine the degree of bone degradation. Walden et al used ICP-OES to measure bone degradation [3]. Gallelo et al [17] compared elemental compositions between bones and the environment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Evaluation of Parameters for Estimating the Postmortem Interval of Skeletal Remains Using Bovine Femurs: A Pilot Study

et al. 2020

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The postmortem interval (PMI) of victims is a key parameter in criminal investigations. However, effective methods for estimating the PMI of skeletal remains have not been established because it is determined by various factors, including environmental conditions. To identify effective parameters for estimating the PMI of skeletal remains, we investigated the change in bone focusing on the amount of DNA, element concentrations, and bone density that occurred in the bone samples of bovine femurs, each maintained under one of five simulated environmental conditions (seawater, freshwater, underground, outdoors, and indoors) for 1 year. The amount of extracted mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA; 404 bp fragment) decreased over time, and significant DNA degradation (p < 0.01), as estimated by a comparison with amplification results for a shorter fragment (128 bp), was detected between 1 month and 3 months. Eleven of 30 elements were detected in samples by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, and Na and Ba showed significant quantitative differences in terms of environmental conditions and time (p < 0.01). This preliminary study suggests that the level of DNA degradation determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction and element concentrations determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission may be useful indices for estimating the PMI of victims under a wide range of environmental conditions. However, this study is a limited experimental research and not applicable to forensic cases as it is. Further studies of human bone with longer observation periods are required to verify these findings and to establish effective methods for PMI estimation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Bone Density Measurement By Micro X-ray Ctmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Evaluation of Parameters for Estimating the Postmortem Interval of Skeletal Remains Using Bovine Femurs: A Pilot Study

et al. 2020

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A new laboratory‐based method to experimentally induce diagenetic modifications in human bone tissue using archaeological gravesoils

Caruso,

Marinoni,

Diella

et al. 2024

Intl J of Osteoarchaeology

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The conditions of the burial environment trigger microstructural modifications and physical‐chemical changes in the bone, such as chemical dissolution, increase of crystallinity, chemical exchanges, collagen degradation and changes in porosity, hence to reproduce these patterns is a challenging task. This work presents a new method to accelerate the diagenetic processes in the laboratory. Artificial aging is obtained by immersion at 80°C in “enriched” solutions derived from the leaching of gravesoils, maintaining the same pH, for 1 month, on modern bones collected from an autopsy. Two distinct solutions from two graves of the necropolis of Travo (IT) (7th–8th century AD) were adopted. The induced damage patterns, on the bone microstructure and the organo‐mineral fraction, have been compared with those observed on buried skeletal elements from the same graves, by providing a multi‐analytical approach (BSE‐SEM, EMPA, FT‐IR, MP‐AES). Bioapatite parameters, such as crystallinity index and Ca/P molar ratio, evolved similarly and, in some cases, reached the same values of buried bones. Conversely, in the absence of microbial activity, the organic fraction better survived the artificial aging. For the same reason, the porosity due to bioerosion was absent in the artificially aged samples, whereas the biological pores and the post‐mortem fractures exhibited the same histomorphology. It is believed that the opportunity of reproducing the diagenetic changes by replicating the chemical environment of the burial site at the laboratory scale is of great interest to forensic science and archaeology (e.g., to reconstruct the burial environment).

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Bone chemical composition changes in bird bones from laboratory exposure to saline lake conditions

Dirrigl

Jung

Otken

et al. 2020

Archaeol Anthropol Sci

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An Analysis of Systematic Elemental Changes in Decomposing Bone

Cited by 9 publications

References 21 publications

Evaluation of Parameters for Estimating the Postmortem Interval of Skeletal Remains Using Bovine Femurs: A Pilot Study

Evaluation of Parameters for Estimating the Postmortem Interval of Skeletal Remains Using Bovine Femurs: A Pilot Study

A new laboratory‐based method to experimentally induce diagenetic modifications in human bone tissue using archaeological gravesoils

Bone chemical composition changes in bird bones from laboratory exposure to saline lake conditions

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