Analysis of radiocarbon, stable isotopes and DNA in teeth to facilitate identification of unknown decedents.
The characterization of unidentified bodies or suspected human remains is a frequent and important task for forensic investigators. However, any identification method requires clues to the person's identity to allow for comparisons with missing persons. If such clues are lacking, information ab...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2013-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3726681?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1818285286796296192 |
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| author | Kanar Alkass Hisako Saitoh Bruce A Buchholz Samuel Bernard Gunilla Holmlund David R Senn Kirsty L Spalding Henrik Druid |
| author_facet | Kanar Alkass Hisako Saitoh Bruce A Buchholz Samuel Bernard Gunilla Holmlund David R Senn Kirsty L Spalding Henrik Druid |
| author_sort | Kanar Alkass |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The characterization of unidentified bodies or suspected human remains is a frequent and important task for forensic investigators. However, any identification method requires clues to the person's identity to allow for comparisons with missing persons. If such clues are lacking, information about the year of birth, sex and geographic origin of the victim, is particularly helpful to aid in the identification casework and limit the search for possible matches. We present here results of stable isotope analysis of (13)C and (18)O, and bomb-pulse (14)C analyses that can help in the casework. The (14)C analysis of enamel provided information of the year of birth with an average absolute error of 1.8±1.3 years. We also found that analysis of enamel and root from the same tooth can be used to determine if the (14)C values match the rising or falling part of the bomb-curve. Enamel laydown times can be used to estimate the date of birth of individuals, but here we show that this detour is unnecessary when using a large set of crude (14)C data of tooth enamel as a reference. The levels of (13)C in tooth enamel were higher in North America than in teeth from Europe and Asia, and Mexican teeth showed even higher levels than those from USA. DNA analysis was performed on 28 teeth, and provided individual-specific profiles in most cases and sex determination in all cases. In conclusion, these analyses can dramatically limit the number of possible matches and hence facilitate person identification work. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T01:06:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-38b8ddbdbe63428f8074866ae8809ee3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T01:06:17Z |
| publishDate | 2013-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-38b8ddbdbe63428f8074866ae8809ee32022-12-22T00:04:33ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032013-01-0187e6959710.1371/journal.pone.0069597Analysis of radiocarbon, stable isotopes and DNA in teeth to facilitate identification of unknown decedents.Kanar AlkassHisako SaitohBruce A BuchholzSamuel BernardGunilla HolmlundDavid R SennKirsty L SpaldingHenrik DruidThe characterization of unidentified bodies or suspected human remains is a frequent and important task for forensic investigators. However, any identification method requires clues to the person's identity to allow for comparisons with missing persons. If such clues are lacking, information about the year of birth, sex and geographic origin of the victim, is particularly helpful to aid in the identification casework and limit the search for possible matches. We present here results of stable isotope analysis of (13)C and (18)O, and bomb-pulse (14)C analyses that can help in the casework. The (14)C analysis of enamel provided information of the year of birth with an average absolute error of 1.8±1.3 years. We also found that analysis of enamel and root from the same tooth can be used to determine if the (14)C values match the rising or falling part of the bomb-curve. Enamel laydown times can be used to estimate the date of birth of individuals, but here we show that this detour is unnecessary when using a large set of crude (14)C data of tooth enamel as a reference. The levels of (13)C in tooth enamel were higher in North America than in teeth from Europe and Asia, and Mexican teeth showed even higher levels than those from USA. DNA analysis was performed on 28 teeth, and provided individual-specific profiles in most cases and sex determination in all cases. In conclusion, these analyses can dramatically limit the number of possible matches and hence facilitate person identification work.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3726681?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Kanar Alkass Hisako Saitoh Bruce A Buchholz Samuel Bernard Gunilla Holmlund David R Senn Kirsty L Spalding Henrik Druid Analysis of radiocarbon, stable isotopes and DNA in teeth to facilitate identification of unknown decedents. PLoS ONE |
| title | Analysis of radiocarbon, stable isotopes and DNA in teeth to facilitate identification of unknown decedents. |
| title_full | Analysis of radiocarbon, stable isotopes and DNA in teeth to facilitate identification of unknown decedents. |
| title_fullStr | Analysis of radiocarbon, stable isotopes and DNA in teeth to facilitate identification of unknown decedents. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analysis of radiocarbon, stable isotopes and DNA in teeth to facilitate identification of unknown decedents. |
| title_short | Analysis of radiocarbon, stable isotopes and DNA in teeth to facilitate identification of unknown decedents. |
| title_sort | analysis of radiocarbon stable isotopes and dna in teeth to facilitate identification of unknown decedents |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3726681?pdf=render |
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