The heavy metal content of skeletons from an ancient metalliferous polluted area in southern Jordan with particular reference to bioaccumulation and human health

Abstract

This paper considers pollution/toxicological science in an archaeological context. Copper mining was an important activity in southern Jordan, especially during the Bronze Age, Nabatean, Roman, and Byzantine periods, and the environmental legacy of such intensive mining and smelting activities exists today in the form of massive, ancient spoil and smelting tips. The environment was heavily polluted by copper, lead, and other cations during these early periods and the effects of such pollutants continue into modern times. Samples of goat, sheep, and Bronze Age and Byzantine skeletons have been analyzed and high metal loads, from uptake by diverse processes, are reported. Emphasis is placed on the importance of sampling procedure and sample location, bioaccumulation, and the partitioning of such elements. Implications of such pollutants in terms of environmental and human health in ancient and modern times are discussed. Teeth are found to provide excellent vehicles for the monitoring of pollution in both ancient and recent times. Bronze Age skeletons exhibited chemical fingerprints different from those of the Byzantine period.

Environmental impacts of ancient copper mining and metallurgy: Multi-proxy investigation of human-landscape dynamics in the Faynan valley, southern Jordan

“…Vegetation was likewise collected from both metallurgical waste and control contexts, with only those samples collected from metallurgical waste contexts showing signs of Pb contamination (Pyatt et al, 2000: 774). Samples from sheep and goat were collected from animals that were known to have grazed in the vicinity of Khirbat Faynan, including vegetation growing on slag piles (Pyatt et al, 1999, Pyatt et al, 2000, Pyatt et al, 2005. Consistent with the sediments dataset above, measurements from plants and animals reported in previous studies also reflect elevated Pb and Cu concentrations in close proximity to metallurgical debris piles.…”

“…In addition to the above samples, osteological remains recovered from a cemetery in Wadi Faynan are reported to contain evidence for Pb and Cu contamination Pyatt and Grattan, 2001;Pyatt et al, 2005). Measurements of bone were compared with sediments collected from the surrounding burial matrix to control for diagenetic uptake.…”

Determination of Cadmium and Lead in Human Teeth Samples Using Dispersive Liquid‐liquid Microextraction and Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

“…Moreover, teeth are used as important indicators of environmental toxicology and excellent vehicles for monitoring pollution in both past and/or recent exposure. 5,6 Teeth are also a readily accessible biological tissue for the analysis. 7,8 Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) is a very attractive option for the determination of trace amount of Cd and Pb in various samples.…”

Factors Affecting the Levels of Pb and Cd Heavy Metals in Contaminated Farmland Soils

“…The percentage of organic matter in soil controls the geochemical activities of heavy metals, affecting soil productivity and ecological processes. See [13]. Organic matter influences mobility and bioavailability of heavy metals by electrostatic adsorption and by coordination and chelation.…”