ORCID
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4091-5251
Keywords
LIBS, bone, forensic anthropology, bioarcheology, commingled remains, reference material
Abstract
A major challenge in forensic anthropology and bioarcheology is the development of efficient and effective methodologies for sorting skeletal remains in mixed assemblages. While morphological analysis and biomolecular techniques have been historically used to facilitate skeletal reassociation, the elemental composition of bone may provide valuable information to further support the reassociation process. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a visually nondestructive analytical technique used to obtain chemical information from the surface of a bone in seconds. Additionally, the convenience of portable LIBS promotes the analysis of skeletal remains in a variety of settings worldwide. This dissertation explores how the elemental profile of bones obtained by portable LIBS can assist in the classification of commingled remains. This chemical approach to reassociation has been built and evaluated across three distinct scenarios, including 60 individuals from a modern documented skeletal collection, 17 individuals from medieval funerary excavations, and 6 cases of 20th century submerged remains. Statistical results indicate that emission lines from major, minor, and trace elements within the LIBS spectra of bones help discriminate individual remains with up to 100% accuracy.
Despite many qualitative applications of LIBS for skeletal analysis, quantitative elemental profiling is limited by the lack of matrix-matched reference standards for bone. The reliable measurement of elemental concentrations via laser-based sampling methods requires a calibration standard. However, the calibration materials commonly used for bone applications fail to fully mimic the physicochemical properties of bone. This dissertation investigates the development of a better bone standard that replicates the composite chemical structure of bone while simultaneously imitating its compact and porous nano-crystalline morphology. A synthetic reference material doped with trace elements was created, characterized, and validated for use on bone samples. This analytical advancement lays the foundation for quantitative elemental analysis of forensic and bioarcheological bone samples.
Completion Date
2025
Semester
Fall
Committee Chair
Baudelet, Matthieu
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
College
College of Sciences
Department
Chemistry
Format
Release Date
12-15-2027
Document Type
Dissertation
Campus Location
Orlando (Main) Campus
Subjects
Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy--Forensic applications; Bones--Analysis; Human remains (Archaeology)--Analysis; Forensic anthropology--Methodology; Bone--Research
STARS Citation
Livingston, Kristen M., "Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy and Bone: Applications and Innovations for Chemical Analysis of Skeletal Remains" (2025). Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024. 535.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd2024/535
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