Assessment of Diagenetic Transformations in Bioapatite for the Determination of the 87Sr/86Sr Isotope Ratio: A Case Study on an Early Iron Age Human Tooth from the Sargat Culture

• Published in: Journal of analytical chemistry (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 78; no. 12; pp. 1642 - 1650
• Main Authors: Kiseleva, D. V., Chervyakovskaya, M. V., Chervyakovskii, V. S., Okuneva, T. G., Soloshenko, N. G., Bulatov, V. A., Grachev, M. A., Karapetyan, M. K., Sharapova, S. V., Shagalov, E. S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Moscow Pleiades Publishing 01.12.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Archaeology; Bones; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Electron probe microanalysis; Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry; Isotope composition; Isotope ratios; Laser ablation; Mass spectrometry; Strontium; Strontium 87; Strontium isotopes; Structural members; Teeth; diagenesis; taphonomy; laser ablation; strontium; enamel; 87Sr/86Sr; dentin; ICP–MS
• ISSN: 1061-9348; 1608-3199
• DOI: 10.1134/S1061934823120080

The 87 Sr/ 86 Sr strontium isotope ratio in skeletal tissues (teeth and bones) gives valuable information about the migrations and origin of humans and animals. In this study, we assess the suitability of various structural elements (enamel and dentin) of a human tooth sample from a burial mound (Early Iron Age, Omsk oblast) for strontium isotope analysis using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP–MS), laser ablation, and electron probe microanalysis. The microelemental mapping of a tooth fragment was conducted. The results indicate the absence of significant diagenetic changes in the tooth enamel, for which the 87 Sr/ 86 Sr isotope composition was determined by multicollector ICP–MS after chromatographic separation. This research represents the first isotopic study of materials from archaeological excavations of Sargat culture burial mounds. Furthermore, this approach offers promise in reconstructing taphonomic conditions of burial environments, contributing to the understanding of conditions facilitating the preservation of skeletal tissues and archaeological information.