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Improved Application of Bomb Carbon in Teeth for Forensic Investigation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 July 2016

N Wang ,
C D Shen ,
P Ding ,
W X Yi ,
W D Sun ,
K X Liu ,
X F Ding ,
D P Fu ,
J Yuan  and
X Y Yang
...Show all authors
N Wang
Affiliation:
Key Lab of Isotope Geochronology and Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China Department of Earth Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
C D Shen*
Affiliation:
Key Lab of Isotope Geochronology and Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China State Key Lab of Nuclear Physics and Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
P Ding
Affiliation:
Key Lab of Isotope Geochronology and Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
W X Yi
Affiliation:
Key Lab of Isotope Geochronology and Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
W D Sun
Affiliation:
Key Lab of Isotope Geochronology and Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China
K X Liu
Affiliation:
State Key Lab of Nuclear Physics and Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
X F Ding
Affiliation:
State Key Lab of Nuclear Physics and Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
D P Fu
Affiliation:
State Key Lab of Nuclear Physics and Technology, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
J Yuan
Affiliation:
Medical College, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China
X Y Yang
Affiliation:
School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
L P Zhou
Affiliation:
Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Department of Geography, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
*
Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

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While radiocarbon is widely applied in dating ancient samples, recent studies reveal that 14C concentrations in modern samples can also yield precise ages due to the atmospheric testing of thermonuclear devices between 1950 and 1963. 14C concentrations in both enamel and organic matter of 13 teeth from 2 areas in China were examined to evaluate and improve this method of forensic investigation. Choosing enamel near the cervix of the tooth can reduce the error caused by the difference between the sample formation time and whole enamel formation time because tooth enamel formations take a long time to complete. A proper regional data set will be helpful to get an accurate result when calculating the age of the sample (T1) by the CALIBomb program. By subtracting the enamel formation time (t), the birth date of an individual (T2) can be confirmed by enamel F14C from 2 teeth formed at different ages. Calculated enamel formation dates by 14C concentration are basically consistent with corresponding actual values, with a mean error of 1.9 yr for all results and 0.2 yr for the samples formed after AD 1960. This method is more effective for dating samples completed after AD 1960. We also found that 14C concentrations in organic matter of tooth roots are much lower than atmospheric concentrations in root formation years, suggesting that the organic material keeps turning over even after tooth formation is complete. This might be a potential tool for identification of death age to extract a proper component for 14C dating. We also observed that δ13C values between hydroxyapatite and organic matter indicate that isotopic fractionation during the biomineralization is 8–9%‰ more positive in mineral fractions than in organic matter.

Type
Methods, Applications, and Developments
Information
Radiocarbon , Volume 52 , Issue 2: 20th Int. Radiocarbon Conference Proceedings , 2010 , pp. 706 - 716
Copyright
Copyright © 2010 by the Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of the University of Arizona 

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