Distinguishing Americans and Europeans on the Basis of Carbon and Sulfur Isotope Ratios of Hair

VALENZUELA, LUCIANO O; CHESSON, LESLEY A; O'GRADY, SHANNON P; BOWEN, GABRIEL; CERLING, THURE E; EHLERINGER, JAMES R

Washington

Conferencia; Forensics Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry Conference; 2010

Carbon and sulfur isotope ratios in human tissues reflect the original dietary sources of those molecules. If differences in food industries and dietary habits exist between regions, these would potentially be translated into differences in the isotopic composition of human tissues, allowing for discrimination of region-of-origin. We tested this hypothesis by analyzing human hair collected in barber shops and hair salons across the USA and in fifteen European countries. Samples were analyzed for stable carbon (δ13C) and sulfur (δ34S) isotope ratios. We detected significant differences in δ13C and δ34S values between samples collected in the USA and those collected in Europe. That is, little overlap in the isotope ratios between Americans and Europeans was observed despite working with large sample sizes collected from many different European countries. The isotopic spacing detected in this study provides the basis for geographic distinction of Americans and Europeans on the basis of stable carbon and sulfur isotope analysis of human tissues.