TY - JOUR
T1 - Aspartic acid racemization as a dating tool for dentine
T2 - A reality
AU - Torres, Trinidad
AU - Ortiz, José E.
AU - Fernández, Eva
AU - Arroyo-Pardo, Eduardo
AU - Grün, Rainer
AU - Pérez-González, Alfredo
PY - 2014/8
Y1 - 2014/8
N2 - Given the interest in dating sediments from numerous caves, lakes and fluvial terraces containing fossils and lithic components in Europe, here we provide a complete revision of the amino acid racemization (AAR) (aspartic acid in dentine) dating method in vertebrates. To examine the reliability of this method, which is based on a straightforward sample preparation (previous 3.5kDa dialysis), we used a range of dental material. We examined human dentine collagen from living donors and remains from historical (16th and 19th centuries) and prehistorical (Neolithic) periods. On the assumption that genus does not affect collagen racemization rates, we also studied Neanderthal material and material from carnivores (cave bear) and several other mammals. To validate our age calculation algorithm, we used a wide series of radiometric datings (ESR and 14C), along with thermoluminescence and AAR dating on invertebrate (ostracode) samples. Our results demonstrate that AAR shows satisfactory correlation between age and the extent of aspartic acid racemization for material from modern humans and for ancient (Pleistocene) mammal remains (cave bears, horses and Neanderthals) and highlight a strong correlation between ages derived from dentine collagen aspartic acid and other dating methods. However, in samples from burial sites (19th and 16th century and Neolithic samples from Syria), it was impossible to establish age atdeath. We assume that taphonomic processes (time and geochemistry) greatly contribute to the denaturation of the collagen triple helix and higher order structures, thereby allowing the racemization of peptide-bound aspartic acid.
AB - Given the interest in dating sediments from numerous caves, lakes and fluvial terraces containing fossils and lithic components in Europe, here we provide a complete revision of the amino acid racemization (AAR) (aspartic acid in dentine) dating method in vertebrates. To examine the reliability of this method, which is based on a straightforward sample preparation (previous 3.5kDa dialysis), we used a range of dental material. We examined human dentine collagen from living donors and remains from historical (16th and 19th centuries) and prehistorical (Neolithic) periods. On the assumption that genus does not affect collagen racemization rates, we also studied Neanderthal material and material from carnivores (cave bear) and several other mammals. To validate our age calculation algorithm, we used a wide series of radiometric datings (ESR and 14C), along with thermoluminescence and AAR dating on invertebrate (ostracode) samples. Our results demonstrate that AAR shows satisfactory correlation between age and the extent of aspartic acid racemization for material from modern humans and for ancient (Pleistocene) mammal remains (cave bears, horses and Neanderthals) and highlight a strong correlation between ages derived from dentine collagen aspartic acid and other dating methods. However, in samples from burial sites (19th and 16th century and Neolithic samples from Syria), it was impossible to establish age atdeath. We assume that taphonomic processes (time and geochemistry) greatly contribute to the denaturation of the collagen triple helix and higher order structures, thereby allowing the racemization of peptide-bound aspartic acid.
KW - Aspartic acid
KW - Dating
KW - Dentine collagen
KW - Forensic
KW - Pleistocene
KW - Racemization
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84896032701&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.quageo.2014.02.004
DO - 10.1016/j.quageo.2014.02.004
M3 - Article
SN - 1871-1014
VL - 22
SP - 43
EP - 56
JO - Quaternary Geochronology
JF - Quaternary Geochronology
ER -