CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

One of the main data retrieving pieces in anthropology is teeth and bones. Identification of trace elements in their composition allows obtaining valuable information about alimentary habits and community life conditions of groups and individuals. Conventional methods for trace concentration determination require sample preparation, with partial or total destruction of the pieces, which in most cases are unique. In this work we show the possibilities of Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) as a cuasi-non destructive tool in anthropology and paleontology for the measurement of relative concentrations of trace elements in teeth. We applied LIBS for the determination of strontium and magnesium in dentin and enamel of neolithic, middle age, and modern homo-sapiens teeth. Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca distribution maps of dentin and enamel of modern teeth were performed. Ablation threshold fluences of dentine and enamel were also determined by using photoacoustic induced by laser ablation. Significant variations were found in Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca relative concentrations in the tooth dental tissue and between the teeth of the groups and individuals studied. These results can be useful for evolutionary anthropology studies as they can provide information of early nutrition, seasonality, and residential mobility.