Developing Isotopic Tools (Databases and Models) for Human Traceability and Provenance in Argentina: Updates

VALENZUELA, LUCIANO O; TURNER, SILVANA; EGAÑA, SOFÍA; LOUPIAS, LUCIANO L; OTERO, FELIPE

Virtual-Houston, Texas

Congreso; 73rd American Academy of Forensic Sciences Annual Meeting; 2021

American Academy of Forensic Sciences

etermining the region and/or population of origin of victims of murder, migrants, or tragedy is very useful in aiding theperson?s identification, as well as adding information to forensic investigations. In Argentina there are many instances were biogeochemical markers could aid in identifying a person. For example the EAAF still has more than 600 skeletons without identification, and also in the last 35 years more than 5000 people havebeen buried as NN in cemeteries across the country (Report from Procuraduría de Trata y Explotación de Personas, 2016). The main objective of this HHRRC-AAFS funded project is to generate predictive maps of the geographic distribution ofstable isotopes of human tissues useful in accurate and precise region of origin assignment of unidentified remains(human provenancing) in Argentina. To achieve this goal, we will analyze the spatial and temporal variation of the stable isotopes of water available for humanconsumption, alongside human hair and teeth, testing geographic assignment models on samples from known origin. We present updates on this project showing, a first preliminary analysis of tap water samples and a region-of-originassignment of 4 individuals using δ18O and δ13C values. We also describe the development of a sampling project duringthe COVID-19 to create a 'reduced mobility' isotopic database of human hair.