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Ammer ST, Routhledge N, Davies GR, van Asten AC, Verdegaal-Warmerdam SJ, Kootker LM. Enhancing the contemporary human and water isotope reference database for the Netherlands: New insights from Sr-O-C-N-H isotope data. iScience 2024; 27:109561. [PMID: 38644979 PMCID: PMC11026730 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The determination of an individual's geographic origin is an essential aspect of forensic investigations. When primary identifiers cannot be used to make a positive identification, isotope analysis can be utilized to provide new leads. Modern reference data are essential for accurate interpretation of human isotopic data in terms of diet and origin. This article presents Sr-O-C-N-H isotope data of modern individuals (hair, dental enamel, and dentine collagen) and drinking water from the Netherlands. The δ15N values of human hair fall within the range of values observed worldwide and cannot be utilized to differentiate from other countries. Distinct disparities in the hair δ13C are evident between European countries and other regions, making it possible to exclude the Netherlands as a region of origin. Comparing Dutch dental isotope data to those of other nations has proven difficult due to the limited availability of reference data. The same limitation applies to tap water δ2H data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia T.M. Ammer
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Faculty of Science, Geology & Geochemistry Cluster, de Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Co van Ledden Hulsebosch Center (CLHC), Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Nathan Routhledge
- Centre of Analytical Sciences Amsterdam (CASA), Science Park 904, Amsterdam 1098 XH, the Netherlands
| | - Gareth R. Davies
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Faculty of Science, Geology & Geochemistry Cluster, de Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Co van Ledden Hulsebosch Center (CLHC), Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Arian C. van Asten
- Co van Ledden Hulsebosch Center (CLHC), Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Centre of Analytical Sciences Amsterdam (CASA), Science Park 904, Amsterdam 1098 XH, the Netherlands
- Van’t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, Amsterdam 1098 XH, the Netherlands
| | - Suzan J.A. Verdegaal-Warmerdam
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Faculty of Science, Geology & Geochemistry Cluster, de Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Lisette M. Kootker
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Faculty of Science, Geology & Geochemistry Cluster, de Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Co van Ledden Hulsebosch Center (CLHC), Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Mauceri AA, Banner JL. Resetting of soil compositions by irrigation in urban watersheds: Evidence from Sr isotope variations in Austin, TX. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 904:166928. [PMID: 37690754 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Human activities in urban areas disturb the natural landscape upon which they develop, disrupting pedogenic processes and ultimately limiting the ecosystem services urban soils provide. To better understand the impacts on and resiliency of soils in response to urban development, it is essential to understand the processes by which and degree to which soil physical and chemical properties are altered in urban systems. Here, we apply the source-tracing capabilities of Sr isotopes (87Sr/86Sr) to understand the impacts of urban processes on the composition of soils in eight watersheds in Austin, Texas. We evaluate natural and anthropogenic Sr sources in watersheds spanning a wide range of urbanization, comparing soils by variations in their natural (including mineralogy, thickness, soil type, and watershed) and anthropogenic (including irrigation, soil amendments, and fertilization) characteristics. A strong positive correlation between soil thickness and 87Sr/86Sr is observed among unirrigated soils (R2 = 0.83). In contrast, this relationship is not observed among irrigated soils (R2 = 0.004). 95 % of 42 irrigated soil samples have 87Sr/86Sr values approaching or within the range for municipal supply water. These results indicate soil interaction with municipal water through irrigation and/or water infrastructure leakage. Soils irrigated with municipal water have elevated 87Sr/86Sr values relative to unirrigated soils in seven of eight watersheds. We propose that original soil 87Sr/86Sr values are partially to completely reset by irrigation with municipal water via ion exchange processes. Our results demonstrate that in urban systems, Sr isotopes can serve as an environmental tracer to assess the overprint of urbanization on natural soil characteristics. In the Austin region, resetting of natural soil compositions via urban development is extensive, and the continued expansion of urban areas and irrigation systems may affect the ability of soils to retain nutrients, filter contaminants, and provide other ecosystem services that support environmental resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jay L Banner
- Environmental Science Institute, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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Valenzuela LO, Otero F, Loupias LL, Béguelin M, García Mancuso R. BITACORA: An isotopic database of modern human tissues (keratin, teeth) for Argentina. Sci Justice 2023; 63:680-688. [PMID: 38030339 DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2023.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
As a consequence of the recent history of Argentina related to crimes against humanity, the country has positioned itself as a leader on Forensic Anthropology in human rights contexts. To some extent it can even be argued that Forensic Genetics for human identification had its origins in human rights work in the early 1980s in Argentina. However, there are still hundreds of unidentified human remains recovered from the dictatorial regimes' crimes. Additionally, every year there are dozens of unidentified deceased buried in public cemeteries. Thus, there is an urgent need to adopt new techniques that could increase the biological profile of a person, and therefore increase the chances of positive identifications. One of such initiatives is the development of isotopic databases and models that can provide information on the population and region of origin of unidentified victims. We present the development of an isotopic database of modern human tissues named BITACORA (from its name in Spanish: Base de Información Isotópica de Tejidos Actuales Como Referencia Argentina). BITACORA holds isotopic data (δ18O, δ2H, δ13C, δ15N and δ34S values) from teeth (enamel and dentine) and keratin tissues (scalp hair, beard and fingernails) obtained from volunteers of known origin, as well as individual information of the donors (age, gender, biometrics, dietary preferences, and relocation history). BITACORA is associated with a tap water isotope database. Currently, we have 345 keratin, 273 teeth and 287 tap water samples gathered from across the country. We present preliminary analyses on the geographic distribution of these isotopic markers, and provide an overall discussion of the current status and future development of the databases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciano O Valenzuela
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Centro Científico Tecnológico-Tandil, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Laboratorio de Ecología Evolutiva Humana, Unidad de Enseñanza Universitaria Quequén, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina; School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, United States.
| | - Felipe Otero
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Centro Científico Tecnológico-Tandil, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Laboratorio de Ecología Evolutiva Humana, Unidad de Enseñanza Universitaria Quequén, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Luciano L Loupias
- Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Laboratorio de Ecología Evolutiva Humana, Unidad de Enseñanza Universitaria Quequén, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marien Béguelin
- Museo de La Plata, Universidad Nacional de La Plata-CONICET, Argentina
| | - Rocío García Mancuso
- Facultad de Ciencias Medicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata-CONICET, Argentina
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Shin WJ, Jung YY, Choi M, Choi SH, Choi HB, Lee KS, Bong YS, Song H, Koh DC. National-scale investigation of dual nitrate isotopes and chloride ion in South Korea: Nitrate source apportionment for stream water. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 228:115873. [PMID: 37062482 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Nitrate sources in surface water have been identified using dual-isotope compositions of nitrate with various tools to efficiently manage the water quality at the local scale. Correlation between Cl and NO3 has also been used to identify NO3. In this study, we assess the reliability of the dual-isotope approach and Cl in terms of nitrate source apportionment. To this end, we collected stream water samples throughout South Korea to estimate nitrate sources in streams and determine whether the land-use pattern was closely related to nitrate sources. The δ15N-NO3 ranging from -1.3 to 14.8‰ showed a spatial distribution that was lower in mountain ranges (<7‰) than plain areas (>8‰). The Cl concentration in this national-scale distribution was also assessed. The relationship between the proportion of Cl and δ15N-NO3 classifies nitrate sources into areas characterized by three land-use patterns: (1) agricultural and business areas, (2) forests in highlands, and (3) lowland forests, of which (1) had proportions of Cl >50%, while (2) and (3) were <50%. The samples in (3) showed δ15N-NO3 values > 6‰, similar to those of (1). Deuterium excess of samples was negatively correlated (R2 = 0.53) with δ15N-NO3, accounting for the fact that δ15N-NO3 reflected land-use patterns. Samples were dominantly affected by agriculture-derived sources and domestic sewage showed NO3/Cl of <0.4 and δ15N-NO3 of >6‰. These results suggest that nitrate source apportionment should be comprehensively evaluated considering the dual-isotope approach, land-use patterns, and Cl proportions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Woo-Jin Shin
- Research Center for Geochronology and Isotope Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, 28119, Republic of Korea.
| | - Youn-Young Jung
- Research Center for Geochronology and Isotope Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, 28119, Republic of Korea
| | - Moojin Choi
- Research Center for Geochronology and Isotope Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, 28119, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Hyun Choi
- Research Center for Geochronology and Isotope Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, 28119, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye-Bin Choi
- Research Center for Geochronology and Isotope Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, 28119, Republic of Korea; Department of Science Education, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 03760, Republic of Korea; Healthcare & Spa Industry Promotion Agency, Chungnam, 31471, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang-Sik Lee
- Research Center for Geochronology and Isotope Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, 28119, Republic of Korea; Graduate School of Analytical Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeon-Sik Bong
- Center for Research Equipment, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, 28119, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeongseok Song
- Graduate School of Analytical Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea; Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry Division, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Seoul, 06349, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Chan Koh
- Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Daejeon, 34132, Republic of Korea; University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
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Choi HB, Lee KS, Park S, Jeong EK, Gautam MK, Shin WJ. National-scale distribution of strontium isotope ratios in environmental samples from South Korea and its implications for provenance studies. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 317:137895. [PMID: 36657573 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.137895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Successful application and accurate interpretation of strontium (Sr) isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr) requires underlying information about the large-scale variabilities in their signatures from a variety of environmental samples, which can be correlated with the Sr isotopic signatures of underlying local geology. In this national-scale study, we analyzed 87Sr/86Sr in soil, plants, stream water, and Chinese mystery snail (Cipangopaludina chinensis) shells collected from South Korea to evaluate large-scale spatial variabilities, interpret relationships among isotopic signatures of various sample types, and generate spatial distribution isoscapes reflecting the heterogeneity of isotopic signatures across South Korea. Non-parametric comparisons among environmental samples showed non-significant differences in their isotopic ratios. The 87Sr/86Sr of plant and soil samples were strongly correlated (R2adj = 0.93), suggesting that both reflect national-scale lithological properties. Similarly, the 87Sr/86Sr of shells showed strong correlations with the 87Sr/86Sr of both plant and soil samples (R2adj = 0.90). The 87Sr/86Sr signatures of environmental samples in this study aligned with expected Sr isotopic values and generally reflected local geology. Spatial distribution maps of samples showed similar 87Sr/86Sr spatial patterns, with high radiogenic values from granitic and granitic gneiss rocks systems and low radiogenic values from volcanic and sedimentary rock systems. Stream water samples showed significant correlations with soil and plant isotopic ratios, but with a low coefficient of determination (R2adj = 0.68). The deviations were much larger for samples with 87Sr/86Sr > 0.720. Further study is needed to improve the accuracy of baseline determination and interpretation of stream water isotopic variations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye-Bin Choi
- Research Center for Geochronology and Isotope Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk 28119, Republic of Korea; Department of Science Education, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 03760, Republic of Korea; Healthcare & Spa industry Promotion Agency, Chungnam, 31471, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang-Sik Lee
- Research Center for Geochronology and Isotope Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk 28119, Republic of Korea; Graduate School of Analytical Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Sanghee Park
- Center for Research Equipment, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk, 28119, Republic of Korea
| | - Eui-Kuk Jeong
- Research Center for Geochronology and Isotope Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk 28119, Republic of Korea; Graduate School of Analytical Science and Technology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Mukesh Kumar Gautam
- Biology Department, Medgar Evers College, City University of New York, New York, NY, 11225, USA.
| | - Woo-Jin Shin
- Research Center for Geochronology and Isotope Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongju-si, Chungbuk 28119, Republic of Korea.
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Song BY, Lee DK, Kim DH, Lee YR. Tracing the geographical origin of bottled water collected in South Korea via isotopic and elemental analyses. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2023; 37:e9443. [PMID: 36411239 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.9443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE The production of bottled water requires a forensic discriminant technique that enables the identification of the brands or accidents caused by intended contaminants. The bottled water poisoning crimes have drawn much attention, and such crimes may recur in the future. The water is colorless and odorless, and thus it is difficult to detect contaminated water through visual observation. Thus, bottled water can be easily exploited for poisoning, and a method for tracing their origin is currently required. METHODS In this study, a total of 27 brands of bottled water samples were analyzed to determine stable oxygen isotopes, strontium isotopes, major and trace elements. The geographical origin of the water was traced based on the climatic and geographical characteristics of the location from where water was sourced, which was assumed to be reflected in the bottled water. Furthermore, we investigated whether this method can be applied to identify bottled water products. RESULTS The results demonstrated that the characteristics of the bottled water, including the oxygen stable isotope ratios, reflect the latitude and altitude of bottled water source in South Korea, from the high-latitude region to the coastal regions. In addition, the results indicated that excellent discrimination was achieved using strontium isotopes to identify source areas with different types of bedrock, complex underlying lithologies, and ocean areas in South Korea. A statistical method based on discriminant analysis was applied to measure trace elements, and the results effectively reflected the characteristics of water-rock interactions (cross-validated classification probability: ≥92%). CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that the geographical characteristics of the source area are well reflected in commercial bottled water in South Korea. The proposed analytical methods can be utilized to trace the geographical origin of different bottled water samples and identify bottled water products used in poisoning crimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byeong-Yeol Song
- Forensic Chemistry Division, National Forensic Service, Wonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Kye Lee
- Forensic Chemistry Division, National Forensic Service, Wonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Do-Hee Kim
- Forensic Chemistry Division, National Forensic Service, Wonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Yu-Ran Lee
- Forensic Chemistry Division, National Forensic Service, Wonju, Republic of Korea
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Liu Y, Peng Z, Zhou Y, Jia L, He Y, Yang D, Li H, Wang X, Huang S, Zhang J. Pilot study on provenance tracing of cocoons via strontium isotopes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 851:157982. [PMID: 35963413 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Isotopic analysis has seen significant use in archaeological sciences to date objects, determine their origin, and depict ancient human dietary habits. However, the potential of this technique for provenance studies of ancient silks remains underdeveloped. In this study, we applied Sr isotopic ratios to the provenance tracing of silkworm cocoons. We investigated the 87Sr/86Sr ratios of cocoons from seven Chinese provinces to determine their regional differences. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios of mulberry leaves and cocoons in Shandong and Sichuan were analyzed and silkworms were cultured at four sampling locations in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, to determine isotopic signature relationships between mulberry leaves and cocoons. Those results showed that the 87Sr/86Sr signature of cocoons not only reflected regional differences, but also was related to the type of soil in each sampling location from which the samples were collected. It is suggested that the Sr isotope ratios was able to be an effective tool for the provenance tracing of cocoons. The Mann-Whitney test result indicated no significant differences in isotopic ratios between mulberry leaves and cocoons. In other words, mulberry leaves may predict mean isotopic values in the cocoons. No clear evidence of Sr isotopic fractionation was found in our control experiments. However, mulberry leaves and cocoons from Sichuan did not show significant correlation between them, overall reducing the predictive power of the 87Sr/86Sr ratios of mulberry leaf for provenance studies of cocoons. Finally, in order to improve the accuracy of Sr isotope ratios for the provenance tracing of cocoons, more 87Sr/86Sr data should be complemented and the relationship needs to be established between Sr isotope information in more kinds of proxies and cocoons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Liu
- Institute of Textile Conservation, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Zhiqin Peng
- Institute of Textile Conservation, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
| | - Yang Zhou
- Key Scientific Research Base of Textile Conservation, State Administration for Cultural Heritage, China National Silk Museum, Hangzhou 310002, China
| | - Liling Jia
- Key Scientific Research Base of Textile Conservation, State Administration for Cultural Heritage, China National Silk Museum, Hangzhou 310002, China
| | - YuJie He
- Institute of Textile Conservation, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Dan Yang
- Institute of Textile Conservation, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Hao Li
- Institute of Textile Conservation, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Xiaoyun Wang
- Institute of Textile Conservation, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Shiying Huang
- Institute of Textile Conservation, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Jichao Zhang
- Institute of Textile Conservation, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China
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Bibi K, Shah MH. Elemental Analysis of Laryngeal Cancer Patients in Comparison with Controls Using Scalp Hair as an Analytical Tool. Biol Trace Elem Res 2022:10.1007/s12011-022-03468-0. [PMID: 36355263 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-022-03468-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Laryngeal cancer, a rare form of head and neck cancer, is more common in men, and various factors play important roles in its etiology. In the current study, trace elemental contents in the scalp hair of laryngeal cancer patients and healthy subjects were evaluated. Selected essential and toxic elements were measured using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry after the hair samples were digested with HNO3-HClO4. The mean/median levels of Pb in the scalp hair of patients were significantly higher than the healthy donors, but Sr, Zn, and Co exhibited comparatively lower levels in the laryngeal cancer patients. In comparison to healthy donors, the correlation pattern among the elements in the hair of the patients exhibited diverse mutual relationships. The multivariate apportionment of the elemental levels in the scalp hair of both donor groups was significantly divergent. The average elemental levels varied significantly among the cancer types (glottic, supraglottic, transglottic, and subglottic) as well as the cancer stages (I, II, III, IV). The average levels of the elements also exhibited considerable variations depending on the donors' habitat, gender, food, and smoking habits. Overall, the study revealed significantly divergent disparities among the elemental contents in the scalp hair of the laryngeal cancer patients in comparison with counterpart controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalsoom Bibi
- Department of Chemistry, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
| | - Munir H Shah
- Department of Chemistry, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
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Austin R, Fowler G, Cooper JJ, Perez Tanchez M, Croxton R, Evans J, Thompson DF. Use of strontium isotope ratios in geolocation of Guatemalan population: Potential role in identification of remains. J Forensic Sci 2022; 67:1962-1970. [PMID: 35943118 PMCID: PMC9542264 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.15116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Within post‐conflict communities, attempts to identify and repatriate unidentified and missing individuals poses a difficult task. As current forensic strategies commonly lack the capacity to provide region of origin assessments, forensic anthropologists/investigators are often unable to identify sources of DNA for kinship analysis. Using Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry (TIMS), hair samples from 10 volunteers were used to assess the variation in strontium isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr) between extant people in Guatemala City and Coban; with a leach (external) and digest (dietary) signal analyzed for each sample. A two‐way anova demonstrated that the difference between 87Sr/86Sr of Guatemala City and Coban was statistically significant (F [1, 16] = 259.839, p < 0.05), with no statistically significant differences observed between leach and digest 87Sr/86Sr (F [1,16] = 4.319, p = 0.054). Overall, individuals from Coban demonstrate 87Sr/86Sr comparable to previously recorded baseline values, demonstrating a minimal change in diet which is reflected in associated surveys. Volunteers from Guatemala City, however, show a marked shift in 87Sr/86Sr away from predicted values highlighting the potential influence of imported goods. The results here highlight the applicability of 87Sr/86Sr in hair to serve as a potential tool to support the identification of unknown individuals in Guatemala in a forensic context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Austin
- School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Plymouth Marjon University, Plymouth, UK.,School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Keele University, Keele, UK.,School of Life Sciences, Lincoln University, Joseph Banks Laboratories, Lincoln, UK
| | - Gillian Fowler
- School of Life Sciences, Lincoln University, Joseph Banks Laboratories, Lincoln, UK
| | - Jonathan J Cooper
- School of Life Sciences, Lincoln University, Joseph Banks Laboratories, Lincoln, UK
| | - Marco Perez Tanchez
- School of Life Sciences, Lincoln University, Joseph Banks Laboratories, Lincoln, UK
| | - Ruth Croxton
- Department of Applied Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Jane Evans
- Natural Environmental Isotope Facility, British Geological Survey, Nottingham, UK
| | - David F Thompson
- School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Keele University, Keele, UK
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