Element Concentrations and Element Ratios in Antler and Pedicle Bone of Yearling Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) Stags—a Quantitative X-ray Fluorescence Study

Abstract

The present study compared the concentrations of different elements (Ca, P, Mg, Sr, Ba, K, S, Zn, Mn) as well as Ca/P, Ca/Mg, Sr/Ca, and Ba/Ca ratios in hard antler and pedicle bone of yearling red deer stags (n = 11). Pedicles showed higher concentrations of calcium and phosphorus and a higher Ca/Mg ratio than antlers, while antlers exhibited higher concentrations of potassium, sulfur, and manganese as well as higher Ca/P, Sr/Ca, and Ba/Ca ratios. The findings indicate that antlers are less mineralized and show less maturation of their bone mineral than pedicles. Antlers also showed a higher intrasample variation of mineralization than pedicles, which can be related to the shorter life span of the (deciduous) antlers compared to the (permanent) pedicles. It is suggested that antler bone formation is stopped before the theoretically possible degree of mineralization and mineral maturation is reached, resulting in antler biomechanical properties (high bending strength and work to fracture) that are well suited for their role in intraspecific fighting. It is further suggested that the differences in Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios of antlers and pedicles are related to the dietary shift from milk to vegetation in combination with an increasing intestinal discrimination against Sr and Ba with age, resulting in a less marked difference in these ratios than would be expected based on the dietary shift alone. The findings of our study underscore the suitability of antlers and pedicles as models of bone mineralization and the influence of different animal-related and/or external factors on this process.

Qualitative and Quantitative Content Determination of Macro-Minor Elements in Bryonia Alba L. Roots using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy Technique

“…Moreover, trace elements play an important role in the formation of bioactive chemical constituents in medicinal herb plants and thus are responsible for their medicinal and toxic properties accordingly. 6,7 Several number of techniques such as voltammetery, atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), 8 inductively coupled plasma atomic optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), 9 X-ray fluorescence (XRF), 10 differential pulse cathode stripping voltamperometry (DPCSV) 11 and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) 12 are normally used for the determination of trace elements in medicinal herbal plants. Because of its specificity, sensitivity, high precision, simplicity, rapid analysis, low cost, low detection limit, and wide linear range, AAS is the most widely recommended instrument used in analytical procedures for the trace metal analysis found in complex biological samples.…”

Comparison of Bone Tissue Elements Between Normal and Osteoarthritic Pelvic Bones in Dogs

“…Given the prevalence of bone and joint problems in many species, both domestic and nondomestic, XRF has the potential to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of a myriad of conditions. Element Abbreviation (Atomic Number) Mg magnesium (12), Si silicon (14), P phosphorous (15), Ca calcium (20), Mn manganese (25), Fe iron (26), Zn zinc (30), Ag silver (47), Cd cadmium (48), Sn tin (50), Sb antimony (51), Bi bismuth (83), LE light element; hydrogen (1)-sodium (11).…”

“…Elemental ratios also were calculated as follows: Ca/P, Ca/Zn, Cd/Zn, Ca/Fe, and Fe/Zn [9,12,14]. Differences in elemental percentages and ratios across dogs in the normal bone category were compared using post hoc multiple comparison LSD tests.…”

“…So, to increase our knowledge of the pathophysiology of OA, we investigated the percentage of elements in canine pelvic bones with differing degrees of OA using an X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer. Xray fluorescence is used for routine, relatively nondestructive chemical analyses of rocks, minerals, sediments, and fluids and can provide important information on the elemental components of various biological sample types such as bone [9,10], teeth [9,11], and antler [12].…”

Variations of selected trace element contents in two layers of red deer antlers

“…Hard antler is made up of two structurally distinct bony layers: an inner part -trabecular bone, and an outer part -cortical bone (Fig. 1), similarly to skeletal bone (16). To our knowledge, there are no studies describing the relationships of element concentrations between trabecular and cortical antler bone.…”