Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy as an Accurate Forensic Tool for Bone Classification and Individual Reassignment

Area of Science:

• Forensic Anthropology
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biomolecular Analysis

Background:

• Bone elemental composition serves as a unique individual identifier.
• Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) provides elemental fingerprints of samples.
• Individual reassignment of commingled bone remains is a significant forensic challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the potential of LIBS combined with supervised classification for individual bone reassignment.
• To evaluate the accuracy, sensitivity, and robustness of LIBS for forensic identification.
• To compare LIBS performance against other analytical techniques.

Main Methods:

• Direct ablation of micrometric bone sample portions using LIBS.
• Analysis of elemental emission spectra for individual identification.
• Application of seven supervised classification methods, including AI algorithms, to LIBS data.

Main Results:

• AI-based algorithms achieved 100% accuracy, sensitivity, and robustness in individual bone reassociations.
• LIBS demonstrated superior performance compared to other techniques in terms of accuracy and reliability.
• LIBS offers a fast, simple, and cost-effective approach without complex sample preparation.

Conclusions:

• LIBS, coupled with AI-driven classification, is a highly effective method for the individual reassignment of commingled bone remains.
• The technique leverages unique bone elemental composition for reliable forensic identification.
• LIBS presents a promising advancement in forensic anthropology and identification science.