Hydrogen isotope systematics of hair: archeological and forensic applications

Tracking human travel using stable oxygen and hydrogen isotope analyses of hair and urine

“…[1][2][3] Many of these studies take advantage of the large-scale continental gradients in the stable hydrogen and oxygen isotope composition of meteoric water. Generally, precipitation in locations at higher latitudes is depleted in both 18 O and 2 H(D) compared with lower latitudes, [4][5][6] although topography and other factors can also influence the d 18 O and dD values of precipitation. 7 Numerous studies have attempted to delineate animal populations and their movements using dD signatures preserved in organic tissue, often in combination with stable isotope analyses of additional elements (e.g.…”

“…C or N). [8][9][10][11][12][13][14] A number of studies have also used variation in 18 O to track animal movements, typically using inorganic materials (e.g. teeth 15,16 ).…”

“…teeth 15,16 ). Few studies have investigated the combined values of dD and d 18 O in organic tissues; 17,18 however, technical developments have streamlined this type of analysis for organic samples [19][20][21] such that these analyses are becoming increasingly routine.…”

“…Interpretation of d 18 O and dD values in organic tissues is complicated by the fact that oxygen and hydrogen can derive both from drinking water and diet. 17,18,22 In animal populations it is generally assumed that animals and the plants or animals that they eat draw on similar sources of water; thus, the d 18 O and dD values of an animal's diet and drinking water should vary in parallel.…”

“…17,18,22 In animal populations it is generally assumed that animals and the plants or animals that they eat draw on similar sources of water; thus, the d 18 O and dD values of an animal's diet and drinking water should vary in parallel. 1,2,18 However, when an animal's diet includes items expected to have dissimilar d 18 O and dD values from drinking water (e.g. a high latitude terrestrial animal with a marine dietary component), this assumption may not be correct (as others have noted 18 ).…”