Study of Elemental Distribution in Calcified Tissues by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy and Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry
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| Year of publication | 2011 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
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| Description | Spatial mapping of elements in calcified tissues offers a wide range of applications, mainly in archeology, zoology, paleontology, medicine, biology or environmental monitoring. Especially teeth provide almost permanent and chronological record of the nutritional status of an individual and anthropological issue of trace elements in the course of development. Teeth may therefore provide an excellent bioarchive related to diet and migration. Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) proved to be suitable analytical methods for spatial mapping of matrix elements (Ca, P). We have investigated the applicability of these two techniques for the mapping of trace elements (Sr, Zn, Ba, Pb) distribution on a set of archaeological finds of animal and human teeth samples. Here we report on some outcomes from these investigations. From the distribution of trace elements and their ratios we could deduce e.g. the type of consumed food (carnivore or herbivore). The accumulation of lead from external sources in human teeth may reflect an access of the individual to the civilizational achievements of that time. |
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