title: The Effect of Time on Bone Fluorescence: Implications for Using Alternate Light Sources to Search for Skeletal Remains.
abstract: Bones fluoresce when exposed to certain wavelengths of shortwave light, and this property can be useful in locating and sorting skeletal remains in forensic contexts. The proteins in bone collagen are largely responsible for its fluorescent properties, but these proteins degrade and denature over time. This study examined the fluorescence of bones from four temporal groups (recent, semi-recent, ancient, and historic) ranging from 0 to 1064 years before present. Specimens were photographed under 490 nm wavelength light, and fluorescence was quantified by converting intensity to a gray scale value based on the RGB color model using ImageJ(®) software. Significant (p < 0.05) differences were found in mean fluorescence between all four temporal groups, and a 0.324 coefficient of correlation indicates a significant (inverse) relationship between fluorescence and time. Bone fluorescence decreases with time, but some fluorescence is retained even in older samples. Fluorescence can therefore be reliably used in many modern skeletal remains searches.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Science, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA, 22030.
authors.forename: Mohamed A H
authors.initials: MAH
authors.lastname: Swaraldahab
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Science, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA, 22030.|Federal Bureau of Investigation Laboratory, 2501 Investigation Parkway, Quantico, VA, 22135.
authors.forename: Angi M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Christensen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000737:chemistry*; D005453:Fluorescence; D018732:Forensic Anthropology; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D013552:Swine; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: alternate light source; fluorescence; forensic anthropology; forensic science; searches; skeletal remains