Lead isotopes (Pb) are known to be a very toxic non-essential element, with origins within the earth’s crust. Through anthropogenic activities, lead becomes altered and released into the atmosphere, where it acts as a trace aerosol pollutant.
Bones: Isotopes in Dating, Diets and Migration Studies
Live Webinar: April 14, 2022 – 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM Eastern Time
Isobar’s webinar on migration studies and geographic origin will focus on lead isotopes for tracking origin and trade of metal artifacts in addition to using strontium isotopes to track diet.
In archaeological studies, lead isotopes are measured for two main applications: tracing origin of metal artefacts and reconstructing human origin and migratory patterns.
Strontium ratios have varied in the world’s oceans through time as a result of fluctuations in strontium type and availability, often resulting from weathering of continental materials as well as volcanic activity at the mid-oceanic ridge. Such variations are recorded in oceanic sediment as a result of the precipitation of minerals from seawater, which has been used as a basis for the 87Sr/86Sr marine curve.
U-Th dating can be used to date various sample types including cave deposits/speleothems, corals, shells, bones and carbonate layers in sedimentary successions.
Isobar Science and Beta Analytic’s bones webinar focuses on C-14 and U-Th methods for bone samples. Topics include optimal sample types, common issues, and how to prepare bone samples for isotopic analysis.
In geochemical research, stable and unstable isotopes are used to understand the chemistry behind natural processes. Isotopes are different forms of a single element, with differing numbers of neutrons within their nucleus, resulting in different atomic masses.
Different isotopes on bone samples may be measured, depending on the scope of the research, and which questions the researcher is seeking to answer.
The most optimal samples for accurate U-Th dating are those that exist in closed systems, including speleothems and corals. In some cases, bones and lake sediments may also be used, but the state of your samples should be carefully considered prior to planning your analysis and interpreting U-Th dating results.