Keller Austin T, Regan Laura A, Lundstrom Craig C, Bower Nathan W
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Colorado College, 14 E. Cache La Poudre, Colorado Springs, CO 80903, United States.
Department of Biology, 2355 Faculty Drive, Suite 2P389, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO 80840-6226, United States.
Forensic Sci Int. 2016 Apr;261:83-92. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2016.02.006. Epub 2016 Feb 12.
Geospatially distributed isotopes (isoscapes) from biogeochemically fractionated processes have been applied in many forensic investigations, such as authentication of food and sourcing of drugs. Provenancing of human remains using isotopes has been hindered by a lack of appropriate isoscapes, by changes in these isoscapes over time, and by various homogenization processes. In this study we create spatiotemporal isoscapes for anthropogenic lead (Pb) for the contiguous United States and Europe using literature data from dated sediments, soils and biological tissues. We compare (206)Pb/(207)Pb isoscapes with isoscapes of δ(13)C, δ(18)O and (87)Sr/(86)Sr to determine their relative efficacy for the forensic identification of human remains. We do this comparison using third molar enamel data from 22 United States Air Force Academy cadets with known life trajectories born between 1983 and 1985. We use these spatiotemporal isoscapes with osteologic analyses, hospital records and isotopic analyses of tooth enamel carbonate from permanent teeth to help identify 32 individuals from unmarked graves found in a forgotten 19th century mental asylum cemetery.
生物地球化学分馏过程中产生的地理空间分布同位素（同位素景观）已应用于许多法医调查中，如食品认证和毒品溯源。由于缺乏合适的同位素景观、这些同位素景观随时间的变化以及各种均质化过程，利用同位素对人类遗骸进行溯源受到了阻碍。在本研究中，我们利用来自 dated 沉积物、土壤和生物组织的文献数据，为美国本土和欧洲的人为铅（Pb）创建了时空同位素景观。我们将（206）Pb/（207）Pb 同位素景观与 δ（13）C、δ（18）O 和（87）Sr/（86）Sr 的同位素景观进行比较，以确定它们在法医鉴定人类遗骸方面的相对功效。我们使用来自 22 名美国空军学院学员的第三磨牙牙釉质数据进行此比较，这些学员出生于 1983 年至 1985 年之间，生活轨迹已知。我们将这些时空同位素景观与骨骼分析、医院记录以及恒牙牙釉质碳酸盐的同位素分析相结合，以帮助识别在一个被遗忘的 19 世纪精神病院墓地中发现的 32 名无名墓穴中的个体。
