Reconstruction of human exposure to heavy metals using synchrotron radiation microbeams in prehistoric and modern humans

Abstract

Objective Teeth can serve as records of environmental exposure to heavy metals during their formation. We applied a new technology -synchrotron radiation microbeams (SRXRF) -for analysis of heavy metals in human permanent teeth in modern and historical samples. Methods Each tooth was cut in half. A longitudinal section 200 lm in thickness was subjected to the determination of the heavy metal content by SRXRF or conventional analytical methods (ICP-MS analysis or reduction-aeration atomic absorption spectrometry). The relative concentrations of Pb, Hg, Cu and Zn measured by SRXRF were translated in concentrations (in g of heavy metal/g of enamel) using calibration curves by the two analytical methods. Results Concentrations in teeth in the modern females (n = 5) were 1.2 ± 0.5 lg/g (n = 5) for Pb; 1.7 ± 0.2 ng/g for Hg; 0.9 ± 1.1 lg/g for Cu; 150 ± 24.6 lg/g for Zn. The levels of Pb were highest in the teeth samples obtained from the humans of the Edo era (1603-1868 AD) (0.5-4.0 lg/g, n = 4). No trend was observed in this study in the Hg content in teeth during 3,000 years. The concentrations of Cu were highest in teeth of two medieval craftsmen (57.0 and 220 lg/g). The levels of Zn were higher in modern subjects (P \ 0.05) than those in the Jomon (*1000 BC) to Edo periods [113.2 ± 27.4 (lg/g,

Copper exposure in medieval and post-medieval Denmark and northern Germany: its relationship to residence location and social position

“…Copper was highest in Roman period skeletons from the Cartagena area in Spain when compared to earlier and later bones, including modern ones [88], although these results have been questioned because of the possibility of diagenesis [89]. Notably high concentrations have also been found in archaeological skeletons from individuals thought to have been involved in the extraction and production of items made from Cu or living in settings contaminated from such activities [20,90,91]. Pollution from ancient Cu production can have a lasting effect on local environments, as seen by elevated concentrations in soil, plants, and animals that have persisted to the present day [92,93].…”

Trace element distribution in human cortical bone microstructure: the potential for unravelling diet and social status in archaeological bones

“…But it is also true that, with proper pre-treatment, some elements, notably Sr and Ba, are thought to yield reliable dietary and provenance information [1,29,[33][34][35][36][37]. Furthermore, Pb and Cu can reveal much about environmental exposure to these elements, including the social position of people in the past [37][38][39][40][41].…”

“…Copper has been used as a palaeodietary indicator [8,61,62], but the relationship between its presence in food, uptake in the gastrointestinal tract, and subsequent deposition in bones is unclear [63][64][65]. High concentrations of Cu have been detected in archaeological remains from individuals thought to have been involved in mining Cu or manufacturing objects from it [51,66,67]. In medieval and post-medieval Danish populations, much of the variation in Cu exposure was likely to have been related to objects made of the element or its alloys encountered in everyday life, perhaps most notably kitchen utensils [37].…”

Human Exposure Assessment of Element Pollution for Environmental Health Implications: Teeth as a Biomonitoring Tool

“…Brudevold and Steadman [35] stated a range of 12 to 30, whereas Nixon and Smith [22] reported a range of 1.6 to 30 for enamel. Whole teeth level of copper, 0.9 ± 1.1 was lower in the permanent teeth of women from Kyoto [13] than that of 6.23 found in the 5 -12 year children of Jordan [9] and 9.92 in the boys and girls living in the Upper Silesian Industry Region, Southern Poland [36].…”