Geochemical exploration for vertebrate fossils using field portable XRF

Cohen, David R.; Cohen, Emma J.; Graham, Ian T.; Soares, Georgia G.; Hand, Suzanne J.; Archer, Michael

doi:10.1016/j.gexplo.2017.06.012

Cited by 20 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…However, with an exception for Mg, the quality of the measured surface did not significantly influence the results. However, in contrast to the findings of Cohen et al (2017), surface carbonate weathering did affect results. The effect of weathering was alleviated by measuring on freshly hammered surfaces.…”

Section: Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysiscontrasting

confidence: 99%

“…However, in contrast to the findings of Cohen et al . (), surface carbonate weathering did affect results. The effect of weathering was alleviated by measuring on freshly hammered surfaces.…”

Section: Developments In Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis Andmentioning

confidence: 86%

“…However, Cohen et al . () found that, except for a small increase in Ti and Zr, cleaning did not alter estimates of trace element concentrations, and subsequently, the surfaces analysed were not cleaned beforehand. Using factor analysis, Ca, P, Sr, U and Zn were determined to be the discriminant analytes for detection of fossiliferous materials.…”

Section: Developments In Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cohen et al . () therefore used portable XRF to characterise carbonate units and identify those units hosting vertebrate fossils. They also used portable XRF to differentiate Cambrian and Cenozoic limestones.…”

Section: Developments In Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although fossils are important markers for many studies, identifying the fossil-bearing units can often be difficult. Cohen et al (2017) therefore used portable XRF to characterise carbonate units and identify those units hosting vertebrate fossils. They also used portable XRF to differentiate Cambrian and Cenozoic limestones.…”

Section: Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

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GGR Biennial Critical Review: Analytical Developments Since 2014

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et al. 2017

Geostandard Geoanalytic Res

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This GGR biennial critical review covers developments and innovations in key analytical methods published since January 2014, relevant to the chemical, isotopic and crystallographic characterisation of geological and environmental materials. In nine selected analytical fields, publications considered to be of wide significance are summarised, background information is provided and their importance evaluated. In addition to instrumental technologies, this review also presents a summary of new developments in the preparation and characterisation of rock, microanalytical and isotopic reference materials, including a précis of recent changes and revisions to ISO guidelines for reference material characterisation and reporting. Selected reports are provided of isotope ratio analyses by both solution-nebulisation MC-ICP-MS and laser ablation-ICP-MS, as well as of radioactive isotope geochronology by LA-ICP-MS. Most of the analytical techniques elaborated continue to provide new applications for geochemical analysis, however it is noted that instrumental neutron activation analysis has become less popular in recent years, mostly due to the reduced availability of nuclear reactors to act as a neutron source. Many of the newer applications reported here provide analysis at increasingly finer resolution. Examples include atom probe tomography, a very sensitive method providing atomic scale information, nanoscale SIMS, for isotopic imaging of geological and biological samples, and micro-XRF, which has a spatial resolution many orders of magnitude smaller than conventional XRF

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Section: Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysiscontrasting

confidence: 99%

Section: Developments In Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis Andmentioning

confidence: 86%

Section: Developments In Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Developments In Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis Andmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

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GGR Biennial Critical Review: Analytical Developments Since 2014

Linge

Bèdard

Bugoi

et al. 2017

Geostandard Geoanalytic Res

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Elemental characterization of aPuma concolorfossil by non‐destructive X‐ray techniques

et al. 2023

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Over the lifetime of an animal, metabolic processes in the body maintain bone tissues in a dynamic state of equilibrium. After the death of the organism, bone tissues undergo diagenesis, an intense transformation that affects its physicochemical constitution. Although many recent works have greatly contributed to the understanding of the processes surrounding diagenesis, there is still much yet to be understood about this multifaceted phenomena. In this work, XRF and microCT were used to characterize the specimen elemental configuration and investigate the fossilization process of a recovered Puma concolor (cranium, mandible and teeth elements), found submerged in a lake in the Impossível‐Ioiô Cave System (Bahia, Brazil). MicroCT enabled the identification of the density distribution throughout the specimens, which were used as reference to XRF analyses. The XRF spectra of the analyzed specimen showed the presence of 11 elements: P, Cl, Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Br, Sr, Y and Hg. Yttrium counts proved to be regular throughout the specimen surface and decreased in the interface between bone surface and interior, evidencing their correspondence to sample environmental exposure. Furthermore, a correlation between fossil surface coloration, element configuration and density is presented. The relatively low presence of Fe and Y in the enamel elicits its elementary and structural preservation. The combined results contribute to the understanding of the physicochemical process of paleomastozoological fossilization, further enriching the comprehension of the process of fossilization in a submerged environment.

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