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Published on: August 15, 2018
Thermogravimetric analysis: A new tool for dating human teeth
Leticia Rubio1, Alba Delgado-Ruiz1, Diego Lozano-Peral2
1Departamento de Anatomía Humana, Medicina Legal e Historia de la Ciencia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, Bulevar Louis Pasteur 32, Málaga 29071, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Plataforma-BIONAND, Calle Severo Ochoa 35, Málaga 29590, Spain.
Thermogravimetry analysis accurately estimates time since tooth extraction by measuring tooth mass loss. This forensic science technique shows high precision for dating human remains up to 50 years post-extraction.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Anthropology
- Biomaterials Science
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Accurate dating of human skeletal remains is crucial in forensic investigations.
- Estimating the time elapsed since tooth extraction presents a significant challenge in forensic science.
Purpose of the Study:
- To correlate tooth mass loss, measured by thermogravimetry analysis, with time elapsed since extraction.
- To evaluate the efficacy of thermogravimetric parameters in discriminating between different post-extraction dating intervals.
Main Methods:
- Forty human teeth were stored for 0, 10, 25, and 50 years under controlled conditions.
- Thermogravimetric analysis was performed in both air and nitrogen atmospheres to quantify mass loss.
- Binary logistic regression and ROC analyses were used to assess dating accuracy.
Main Results:
- Dating accuracy was higher when thermogravimetric analysis was conducted in an air atmosphere compared to nitrogen.
- Predictive formulas developed using thermogravimetric parameters demonstrated high precision in distinguishing dating intervals.
- Areas under the ROC curves (AUC) ranged from 0.95 to 1.00, indicating excellent performance for 10-, 25-, and 50-year intervals in air.
Conclusions:
- Thermogravimetry analysis is a promising technique for accurately estimating the time since tooth extraction.
- The method shows high potential for application in forensic science for dating human teeth under controlled storage conditions.
