Five thousand years of bellyaches: Exploring boron concentration in ancient populations of the Atacama Desert

Abstract

Objectives: This study explores whether ancient Atacama Desert populations in northern Chile were exposed to endemic boron contamination. Materials and methods: Using Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), we studied 144 strands of ancient mummy hair, ranging from 3000 B.C. to 1500 A.D., excavated from the Lluta, Azapa, and Camarones valleys in northern Chile. We tested whether these ancient populations showed signs of significant boron concentration in hair tissue. Results: On average, all individuals from these valleys showed high boron concentrations, ranging from 1.5 to 4 times above the average boron concentration in contemporary hair (baseline <0.85 μg/g). The boron concentration in mummy hair varied according to the main geographic areas mentioned above. Conclusions: The rivers of northern Chile have high geogenic boron concentrations. They contain 38 times above the recommended limit for human consumption. Geogenic boron contamination likely played a role in population morbidity and the types of crops that were cultivated in antiquity. The ancient populations were chronically affected by boron overexposure, suggesting that ancient geogenic water contamination should be considered when discussing the biocultural trajectories of ancient populations.

Atomic spectrometry update: review of advances in the analysis of clinical and biological materials, foods and beverages

“…An anthropological study by Arriaza et al 201 demonstrated boron overexposure in ancient populations of the Atacama desert . Concentrations of B in ancient mummy hair ( n = 144) ranged from 1.5 to 4 times average concentrations in contemporary hair and varied with geographic area.…”

Sobreingesta de boro durante la época precolombina en las poblaciones de Arica: implicancias biológicas y culturales

“…Esta ingesta se ve reflejada en diferentes matrices analíticas, con una bioacumulación ósea promedio que supera entre 7 a 23 veces lo reportado como normal en poblaciones actuales (Devirian y Volpe, 2003). Estudios realizados en 144 muestras de cabello en poblaciones arqueológicas de la misma región (3000 AC -1500 DC), obtuvieron una concentración de boro de 1,5 a 4 veces más alta que la normal en este tipo de muestras (Arriaza et al, 2020).…”

Investigating the Quality and Efficiency of Biosolid Produced in Qatar as a Fertilizer in Tomato Production

“…The plant leaf growth is another indicator used to assess the influence of the surrounding environment, which includes nutrients [66]. Unlike outdoor farming of tomatoes, growth within the controlled environment of the greenhouse minimizes interactions between factors and simplifies the assessment methodology.…”