Differences in co-variation of inorganic elements in the bulk and surface of human deciduous enamel: an induction...

This paper demonstrates a method for determination of co-variation between some inorganic elements in the bulk and surface areas of human tooth enamel. The technique is based on a computerised induction analysis of data obtained by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). When comparing the present data with an earlier study from our laboratory, it became evident that with only a moderate increase in the amount of data for the induction analysis, the results increased very considerably in reliability and precision. The patterns of co-variation between different elements differed between the bulk- and surface enamel. Only Mg expressed a similar pattern. In the bulk enamel the elements Na and P expressed a high degree of co-variation. Similarly, Mg and C expressed a high degree of co-variation. Mg was an element often found to co-vary with bulk enamel elements. In the enamel surface, F and Cl co-varied. In addition, Cl was an element often found to co-vary with other enamel surface elements.