Sr/Ca mass ratio determination in bones using fast neutron activation analysis

Area of Science:

• Archaeometry
• Paleodietary Studies
• Nuclear Analysis

Background:

• The strontium to calcium (Sr/Ca) mass ratio in human bone is a key indicator of ancient dietary habits.
• Analyzing this ratio is vital for archaeological research into past human populations.
• Preserving precious archaeological bone samples necessitates non-destructive analytical techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a non-destructive method for measuring the Sr/Ca mass ratio in human bones.
• To evaluate the utility of fast neutron activation analysis (NAA) for this purpose.
• To identify specific nuclear reactions suitable for non-destructive Sr/Ca analysis in bone.

Main Methods:

• Utilized fast neutron activation analysis (NAA) for non-destructive elemental ratio measurement.
• Conducted simulations to identify optimal nuclear reactions.
• Performed measurements on bone samples to validate the NAA approach.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated that fast neutron activation analysis can accurately measure the Sr/Ca mass ratio in human bones without sample destruction.
• Identified the nuclear reactions 88Sr(n, 2n)87mSr and 44Ca(n, p)44K as highly effective for this analysis.
• Validated the feasibility of using NAA for paleodietary research on valuable bone specimens.

Conclusions:

• Fast neutron activation analysis provides a viable non-destructive method for determining the Sr/Ca mass ratio in human bones.
• This technique significantly aids archaeological investigations by enabling dietary reconstructions from precious skeletal remains.
• The identified nuclear reactions offer a precise pathway for future paleodietary studies.