TY - JOUR
T1 - Scanning Electron Microscopy–Energy-Dispersive X-Ray (SEM/EDX)
T2 - A Rapid Diagnostic Tool to Aid the Identification of Burnt Bone and Contested Cremains
AU - Ellingham, Sarah T.D.
AU - Thompson, Tim J.U.
AU - Islam, Meez
N1 - © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.
PY - 2017/6/12
Y1 - 2017/6/12
N2 - This study investigates the use of Scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) as a diagnostic tool for the determination of the osseous origin of samples subjected to different temperatures. Sheep (Ovis aries) ribs of two experimental groups (fleshed and defleshed) were burned at temperatures of between 100°C and 1100°C in 100°C increments and subsequently analyzed with the SEM-EDX to determine the atomic percentage of present elements. Three-factor ANOVA analysis showed that neither the exposure temperature, nor whether the burning occurred with or without soft tissue present had any significant influence on the bone's overall elemental makeup (p > 0.05). The Ca/P ratio remained in the osseous typical range of between 1.6 and 2.58 in all analyzed samples. This demonstrates that even faced with high temperatures, the overall gross elemental content and atomic percentage of elements in bone remain stable, creating a unique “fingerprint” for osseous material, even after exposure to extreme conditions.
AB - This study investigates the use of Scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) as a diagnostic tool for the determination of the osseous origin of samples subjected to different temperatures. Sheep (Ovis aries) ribs of two experimental groups (fleshed and defleshed) were burned at temperatures of between 100°C and 1100°C in 100°C increments and subsequently analyzed with the SEM-EDX to determine the atomic percentage of present elements. Three-factor ANOVA analysis showed that neither the exposure temperature, nor whether the burning occurred with or without soft tissue present had any significant influence on the bone's overall elemental makeup (p > 0.05). The Ca/P ratio remained in the osseous typical range of between 1.6 and 2.58 in all analyzed samples. This demonstrates that even faced with high temperatures, the overall gross elemental content and atomic percentage of elements in bone remain stable, creating a unique “fingerprint” for osseous material, even after exposure to extreme conditions.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85020911048&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/1556-4029.13541
DO - 10.1111/1556-4029.13541
M3 - Article
C2 - 28605021
AN - SCOPUS:85020911048
SN - 0022-1198
VL - 63
SP - 504
EP - 510
JO - Journal of Forensic Sciences
JF - Journal of Forensic Sciences
IS - 2
ER -