Evaluation of neodymium isotope analysis of human dental enamel as a provenance indicator using 10¹³ Ω amplifiers (TIMS).

ABSTRACT: Human provenance studies employing isotopic analysis have become an essential tool in forensic and archaeological sciences, with multi-isotope approaches providing more specific location estimates compared to single isotope studies. This study reports on the human provenancing capability of neodymium isotopes (¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd), a relatively conservative tracer in the environment. Neodymium isotope ratios have only recently been determined on human remains due to low concentrations in human dental enamel (ppb range), requiring thermal ionisation mass spectrometry (TIMS) using 10¹³ Ω resistors. Dental elements (third molars) from 20 individuals born and raised in the Netherlands were analysed for Nd concentration (n = 12) and Nd isotope ratios (n = 15). The geolo

SUBMITTER: Plomp E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6510978 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature