title: Chemical Differentiation of Osseous, Dental, and Non-skeletal Materials in Forensic Anthropology using Elemental Analysis.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, United States.
authors.forename: Heather A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Zimmerman
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, United States; National Center for Forensic Science, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, United States.
authors.forename: Cayli J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Meizel-Lambert
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, United States; National Center for Forensic Science, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, United States. Electronic address: john.schultz@ucf.edu.
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Schultz
authors.affiliation: National Center for Forensic Science, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, United States; Department of Chemistry, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, United States.
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Sigman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000737:chemistry*; D055700:Cremation; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000737:chemistry*; D018732:Forensic Anthropology; D006801:Humans; D008853:Microscopy; D013045:Species Specificity; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014131:Trace Elements
keywords: Chemical differentiation; Elemental analysis; Forensic anthropology; Osseous and non-osseous materials