Chemical Differentiation Of Osseous, Dental, And Non-Skeletal Materials In Forensic Anthropology Using Elemental Analysis

Keywords

Chemical differentiation; Elemental analysis; Forensic anthropology; Osseous and non-osseous materials

Abstract

Forensic anthropologists are generally able to identify skeletal materials (bone and tooth) using gross anatomical features; however, highly fragmented or taphonomically altered materials may be problematic to identify. Several chemical analysis techniques have been shown to be reliable laboratory methods that can be used to determine if questionable fragments are osseous, dental, or non-skeletal in nature. The purpose of this review is to provide a detailed background of chemical analysis techniques focusing on elemental compositions that have been assessed for use in differentiating osseous, dental, and non-skeletal materials. More recently, chemical analysis studies have also focused on using the elemental composition of osseous/dental materials to evaluate species and provide individual discrimination, but have generally been successful only in small, closed groups, limiting their use forensically. Despite significant advances incorporating a variety of instruments, including handheld devices, further research is necessary to address issues in standardization, error rates, and sample size/diversity.

Publication Date

3-1-2015

Publication Title

Science and Justice

Volume

55

Issue

2

Number of Pages

131-138

Document Type

Editorial Material

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scijus.2014.11.003

Socpus ID

84923918488 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/84923918488

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