title: Assignment of unknown persons to their geographical origin by determination of stable isotopes in hair samples.
abstract: Analysing the isotope ratio of light elements in human tissue of an unknown person helps to reconstruct the life history with regard to geographical origin and/or typical food supply. In this study the isotope ratios of the bio-elements in hair samples of 111 persons from 13 different countries all over the world were measured with the aim of provenance determination. The results indicated that individuals from Costa Rica and Brazil can be differentiated from typical European individuals by delta(13)C, Australians by delta(34)S and delta(2)H in hair samples. The combination and evaluation of the data by multivariate statistical analysis considerably improved origin assignment. Investigation of hair samples from a number of individuals from one particular region (southern Germany) yielded remarkable variation of isotopic values indicating different nutritional habits. The possibilities and limitations of this method in its current state are demonstrated and discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Forensic Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Nubbaumstr. 26, 80336, Munich, Germany. Elisabeth.Muetzel@med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mützel Rauch
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lehn
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Peschel
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hölzl
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossmann
mesh_terms: D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D018732:Forensic Anthropology / Q000379:methods*; D005843:Geography; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000032:analysis; D007554:Isotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis
chemical_list: D007554:Isotopes; D006859:Hydrogen