Chemical and Structural Information from the Enamel of a Troodon Tooth Leading to an Understanding of Diet and Environment.
Synchrotron micro X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy with two-dimensional element mapping, micro X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to investigate the chemical and structural nature of the enamel of a tooth from Troodon, a small theropod dinosaur. These methods show that the crystallites in the Troodon tooth are submicron-sized carbonated calcium hydroxyapatite, which are semi-randomly oriented with a preferred orientation of (002) towards the surface of the tooth. Transition metal ions are distributed in the voids between crystallite clusters. Comparison of the ESR spectra indicates that the Troodon tooth had less exposure to UV than a fossilized crocodile tooth.
Canadian Light Source, Saskatoon, Canada Renfei.Feng@lightsource.ca.
Renfei
R
Feng
Saskatchewan Structural Sciences Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Canada.
Jason M
JM
Maley
Saskatchewan Structural Sciences Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Canada.
Gabriele
G
Schatte
Saskatchewan Structural Sciences Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Canada.
Ruth E
RE
Hoffmeyer
Department of Biology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, Canada.
Kirstin S
KS
Brink
Canadian Light Source, Saskatoon, Canada.
Thomas
T
Ellis
Royal Tyrell Museum, Drumheller, Canada.
Don
D
Brinkman
Saskatchewan Structural Sciences Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Canada.
Ramaswami
R
Sammynaiken
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D004032:Diet; D025061:Dinosaurs / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D004777:Environment; D005580:Fossils; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
AFM; ESR; X-ray diffraction; X-ray fluorescence; XRD; XRF; atomic force microscopy; dinosaur tooth enamel; electron spin resonance