Organic matter within crystalline aggregates of hydroxyapatite: A new substrate for stable isotopic and possibly other biogeochemical analyses of bone

Journal Article · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(88)90298-0· OSTI ID:5221492

DeNiro, M J; Weiner, S ^[1]

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1. Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot (Israel)

The portion of organic matrix in bones that is present within fused aggregates of hydroxyapatite crystals was isolated by oxidizing the rest of the bone organic matter with sodium hypochlorite. The aggregate organic matter from a variety of modern and prehistoric bones was subjected to elemental and stable C and N isotopic analysis. For comparison, collagen from modern bones and the fraction from prehistoric bones with the same solubility characteristics as collagen (referred to herein as collagen) were subjected to the same analytical procedures. Collagen and aggregate organic matter in modern bones have similar {delta}{sup 15}N values but dissimilar {delta}{sup 13}C values. The difference may be caused by the presence of non-collagenous proteins (NCPs) in the aggregate organic matter, because the NCPs have {delta}{sup 13}C values different from those of collagen from the same bone. The organic matter in aggregates is not subject to the same diagenetic processes that can alter the isotope ratios of collagen, and appears to retain an in vivo isotope signal even in cases in which that of collagen has been altered. These conclusions apply to samples that were burned prehistorically as well as to those that suffered postmortem alteration only in the depositional environment. The organic matter in aggregates represents a new substrate that should prove useful for stable isotopic studies and possibly for radiocarbon and other biogeochemical analyses of bone.

• OSTI ID: 5221492
• Journal Information: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (USA), Journal Name: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta; (USA) Vol. 52:10; ISSN GCACA; ISSN 0016-7037
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
580000* -- Geosciences
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ANIMAL TISSUES
APATITES
BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
BODY
BONE TISSUES
CARBON 13
CARBON ISOTOPES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMISTRY
COLLAGEN
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
DIAGENESIS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
GEOCHEMISTRY
ISOTOPE RATIO
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MINERALS
NITROGEN 15
NITROGEN ISOTOPES
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MATTER
ORGANS
PHOSPHATE MINERALS
PROTEINS
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
SCLEROPROTEINS
SKELETON
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
STABLE ISOTOPES
TISSUES