Article: Assignment of unknown persons to their geographical origin by determination of stable isotopes in hair samples

Analysing the isotope ratio of light elements in human tissue of an unknown person helps to reconstruct the life history with regard to geographical origin and/or typical food supply. In this study the isotope ratios of the bio-elements in hair samples of 111 persons from 13 different countries all over the world were measured with the aim of provenance determination. The results indicated that individuals from Costa Rica and Brazil can be differentiated from typical European individuals by delta(13)C, Australians by delta(34)S and delta(2)H in hair samples. The combination and evaluation of the data by multivariate statistical analysis considerably improved origin assignment. Investigation of hair samples from a number of individuals from one particular region (southern Germany) yielded remarkable variation of isotopic values indicating different nutritional habits. The possibilities and limitations of this method in its current state are demonstrated and discussed.

Citing Articles

Analysis of C, C and Aspartic Acid Racemization in Teeth and Bones to Facilitate Identification of Unknown Human Remains: Outcomes of Practical Casework.

Teglind R, Dawidson I, Balkefors J, Alkass K Biomolecules. 2021; 11(11).

PMID: 34827653 PMC: 8615977. DOI: 10.3390/biom11111655.

Dietary homogenization and spatial distributions of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur isotope ratios in human hair in South Korea.

Lee H, Shim J, Shin W, Choi S, Bong Y, Lee K PLoS One. 2021; 16(8):e0256404.

PMID: 34415968 PMC: 8378694. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256404.

Feasibility of Casein to Record Stable Isotopic Variation of Cow Milk in New Zealand.

Wijenayake K, Frew R, McComb K, van Hale R, Clarke D Molecules. 2020; 25(16).

PMID: 32796646 PMC: 7464366. DOI: 10.3390/molecules25163658.

Relationships among Mercury Concentration, and Stable Isotope Ratios of Carbon and Nitrogen in the Scalp Hair of Residents from Seven Countries: Effects of Marine Fish and C4 Plants Consumption.

Endo T, Hayasaka M, Ogasawra H, Kimura O, Kotaki Y, Haraguchi K PLoS One. 2015; 10(6):e0128149.

PMID: 26065892 PMC: 4466346. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128149.

Analysis of radiocarbon, stable isotopes and DNA in teeth to facilitate identification of unknown decedents.

Alkass K, Saitoh H, Buchholz B, Bernard S, Holmlund G, Senn D PLoS One. 2013; 8(7):e69597.

PMID: 23922751 PMC: 3726681. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0069597.

References

1.

Brandstatter A, Parsons T, Parson W . Rapid screening of mtDNA coding region SNPs for the identification of west European Caucasian haplogroups. Int J Legal Med. 2003; 117(5):291-8. DOI: 10.1007/s00414-003-0395-2. View

2.

Rauch E, Rummel S, Lehn C, Buttner A . Origin assignment of unidentified corpses by use of stable isotope ratios of light (bio-) and heavy (geo-) elements--a case report. Forensic Sci Int. 2006; 168(2-3):215-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2006.02.011. View

3.

Cali F, Forster P, Kersting C, Mirisola M, DAnna R, De Leo G . DXYS156: a multi-purpose short tandem repeat locus for determination of sex, paternal and maternal geographic origins and DNA fingerprinting. Int J Legal Med. 2002; 116(3):133-8. DOI: 10.1007/s00414-001-0272-9. View

4.

Nardoto G, Silva S, Kendall C, Ehleringer J, Chesson L, Ferraz E . Geographical patterns of human diet derived from stable-isotope analysis of fingernails. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2006; 131(1):137-46. DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.20409. View

5.

Szibor R, Plate I, Schmitter H, Wittig H, Krause D . Forensic mass screening using mtDNA. Int J Legal Med. 2006; 120(6):372-6. DOI: 10.1007/s00414-006-0085-y. View

6.

Forster P, Cali F, Rohl A, Metspalu E, DAnna R, Mirisola M . Continental and subcontinental distributions of mtDNA control region types. Int J Legal Med. 2002; 116(2):99-108. DOI: 10.1007/s00414-001-0261-z. View

7.

Benson S, Lennard C, Maynard P, Roux C . Forensic applications of isotope ratio mass spectrometry--a review. Forensic Sci Int. 2005; 157(1):1-22. DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2005.03.012. View

8.

Thieme D, Rolf B, Sachs H, Schmid D . Correlation of inter-individual variations of amitriptyline metabolism examined in hairs with CYP2C19 and CYP2D6 polymorphisms. Int J Legal Med. 2007; 122(2):149-55. DOI: 10.1007/s00414-007-0184-4. View

9.

Petzke K, Boeing H, Metges C . Choice of dietary protein of vegetarians and omnivores is reflected in their hair protein 13C and 15N abundance. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom. 2005; 19(11):1392-400. DOI: 10.1002/rcm.1925. View

10.

Sieper H, Kupka H, Williams T, Rossmann A, Rummel S, Tanz N . A measuring system for the fast simultaneous isotope ratio and elemental analysis of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulfur in food commodities and other biological material. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom. 2006; 20(17):2521-7. DOI: 10.1002/rcm.2619. View

11.

Ray D, Walker J, Hall A, Llewellyn B, Ballantyne J, Christian A . Inference of human geographic origins using Alu insertion polymorphisms. Forensic Sci Int. 2005; 153(2-3):117-24. DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2004.10.017. View

Assignment of Unknown Persons to Their Geographical Origin by Determination of Stable Isotopes in Hair Samples