Stable lead isotopes in teeth as indicators of past domicile: a potential new tool in forensic science?

Brian L. Gulson; C. William Jameson; Barrie R. Gillings

Stable lead isotopes in teeth as indicators of past domicile: a potential new tool in forensic science?

Brian L. Gulson^*, C. William Jameson, Barrie R. Gillings

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

74 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A pilot study using stable lead isotope analyses has shown that permanent and deciduous teeth from Eastern and Southern European subjects have completely different lead isotopic compositions to those of Australian subjects. Them are statistically significant differences between groups of teeth from subjects from the former Soviet Union (CIS), the former Yugoslavia, United Kingdom, and Lebanon. The isotopic analyses confirm the stability of lead in enamel but suggest that there is exchange of European lead with Australian lead in dentine amounting to about 1% per year. The isotopic differences in, and exchange of, European lead and Australian lead offer an exciting and powerful tool for forensic identification.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	787-791
Number of pages	5
Journal	Journal of Forensic Sciences
Volume	42
Issue number	5
Publication status	Published - Sept 1997

Keywords

Country of origin
Forensic science
Human identification
Lead isotope ratios
Missing persons
Teeth

Cite this

@article{dd71d8d166d242c8b5925e7b116f5714,

title = "Stable lead isotopes in teeth as indicators of past domicile: a potential new tool in forensic science?",

abstract = "A pilot study using stable lead isotope analyses has shown that permanent and deciduous teeth from Eastern and Southern European subjects have completely different lead isotopic compositions to those of Australian subjects. Them are statistically significant differences between groups of teeth from subjects from the former Soviet Union (CIS), the former Yugoslavia, United Kingdom, and Lebanon. The isotopic analyses confirm the stability of lead in enamel but suggest that there is exchange of European lead with Australian lead in dentine amounting to about 1% per year. The isotopic differences in, and exchange of, European lead and Australian lead offer an exciting and powerful tool for forensic identification.",

keywords = "Country of origin, Forensic science, Human identification, Lead isotope ratios, Missing persons, Teeth",

author = "Gulson, {Brian L.} and Jameson, {C. William} and Gillings, {Barrie R.}",

year = "1997",

month = sep,

language = "English",

volume = "42",

pages = "787--791",

journal = "Journal of Forensic Sciences",

issn = "0022-1198",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell, Wiley",

number = "5",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Stable lead isotopes in teeth as indicators of past domicile

T2 - a potential new tool in forensic science?

AU - Gulson, Brian L.

AU - Jameson, C. William

AU - Gillings, Barrie R.

PY - 1997/9

Y1 - 1997/9

N2 - A pilot study using stable lead isotope analyses has shown that permanent and deciduous teeth from Eastern and Southern European subjects have completely different lead isotopic compositions to those of Australian subjects. Them are statistically significant differences between groups of teeth from subjects from the former Soviet Union (CIS), the former Yugoslavia, United Kingdom, and Lebanon. The isotopic analyses confirm the stability of lead in enamel but suggest that there is exchange of European lead with Australian lead in dentine amounting to about 1% per year. The isotopic differences in, and exchange of, European lead and Australian lead offer an exciting and powerful tool for forensic identification.

AB - A pilot study using stable lead isotope analyses has shown that permanent and deciduous teeth from Eastern and Southern European subjects have completely different lead isotopic compositions to those of Australian subjects. Them are statistically significant differences between groups of teeth from subjects from the former Soviet Union (CIS), the former Yugoslavia, United Kingdom, and Lebanon. The isotopic analyses confirm the stability of lead in enamel but suggest that there is exchange of European lead with Australian lead in dentine amounting to about 1% per year. The isotopic differences in, and exchange of, European lead and Australian lead offer an exciting and powerful tool for forensic identification.

KW - Country of origin

KW - Forensic science

KW - Human identification

KW - Lead isotope ratios

KW - Missing persons

KW - Teeth

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0030987522&partnerID=8YFLogxK

M3 - Article

C2 - 9304823

AN - SCOPUS:0030987522

SN - 0022-1198

VL - 42

SP - 787

EP - 791

JO - Journal of Forensic Sciences

JF - Journal of Forensic Sciences

IS - 5

ER -

Stable lead isotopes in teeth as indicators of past domicile: a potential new tool in forensic science?

Abstract

Keywords

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this