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Biehler-Gomez L, Giordano G, Sardanelli F, Di Candia D, Cattaneo C. Towards an integrative approach to the biological profile. Leg Med (Tokyo) 2024; 71:102499. [PMID: 39053400 DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2024.102499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
One of the most important tasks in forensic anthropology is the construction of the biological profile, classically defined as a set of four basic biological descriptors: biological sex, age-at-death, ancestry, and stature. Yet, our empirical and technological abilities in reconstructing the life experiences and health from skeletal remains far exceed these four parameters and forensic anthropology could benefit from further descriptors in the search for an identity. In this paper, we propose the inclusion of two other investigations to forensic anthropology practice to implement the already known biological profile: the interpretation of bone disease and lesions, and forensic toxicology on unconventional biological matrices. These analyses can provide information regarding health, habits, and disease burden, and by implementing them in our practice of forensic anthropology, they have the potential to improve the biological profile. We also propose a new term that can include not only the classical biological profile but also further descriptors, namely, the "biocultural profile".
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Biehler-Gomez
- Department of Biomedical Science for Health, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Department of Biomedical Science for Health, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Gaia Giordano
- Department of Biomedical Science for Health, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Department of Biomedical Science for Health, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Sardanelli
- Department of Biomedical Science for Health, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; Unit of Radiology, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Via Morandi 30, San Donato Milanese, 20097 Milan, Italy
| | - Domenico Di Candia
- Department of Biomedical Science for Health, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; Bureau of Legal Medicine and Insurance, Department of Biomedical Science for Health, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Cattaneo
- Department of Biomedical Science for Health, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy; LABANOF, Laboratorio Di Antropologia E Odontologia Forense, Department of Biomedical Science for Health, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
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2
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Dahlquist-Axe G, Standeven FJ, Speller CF, Tedder A, Meehan CJ. Inferring diet, disease and antibiotic resistance from ancient human oral microbiomes. Microb Genom 2024; 10:001251. [PMID: 38739117 PMCID: PMC11165619 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The interaction between a host and its microbiome is an area of intense study. For the human host, it is known that the various body-site-associated microbiomes impact heavily on health and disease states. For instance, the oral microbiome is a source of various pathogens and potential antibiotic resistance gene pools. The effect of historical changes to the human host and environment to the associated microbiome, however, has been less well explored. In this review, we characterize several historical and prehistoric events which are considered to have impacted the oral environment and therefore the bacterial communities residing within it. The link between evolutionary changes to the oral microbiota and the significant societal and behavioural changes occurring during the pre-Neolithic, Agricultural Revolution, Industrial Revolution and Antibiotic Era is outlined. While previous studies suggest the functional profile of these communities may have shifted over the centuries, there is currently a gap in knowledge that needs to be filled. Biomolecular archaeological evidence of innate antimicrobial resistance within the oral microbiome shows an increase in the abundance of antimicrobial resistance genes since the advent and widespread use of antibiotics in the modern era. Nevertheless, a lack of research into the prevalence and evolution of antimicrobial resistance within the oral microbiome throughout history hinders our ability to combat antimicrobial resistance in the modern era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwyn Dahlquist-Axe
- School of Chemistry and Biosciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK
| | | | - Camilla F. Speller
- Department of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Andrew Tedder
- School of Chemistry and Biosciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK
| | - Conor J. Meehan
- Department of Biosciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK
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3
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Álvarez-Fernández N, Martínez Cortizas A, López-Costas O. Structural equation modelling of mercury intra-skeletal variability on archaeological human remains. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 851:158015. [PMID: 35970463 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Archaeological burial environments are useful archives to investigate the long-term trends and the behaviour of mercury. In order to understand the relationship between mercury, skeletons and soil, we applied Partial Least Squares - Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to a detailed, multisampling (n = 73 bone samples +37 soil samples) design of two archaeological graves dating to the 6th to 7th centuries CE (A Lanzada site, NW Spain). Mercury content was assessed using a DMA-80, and data about bone structure and the grave soil/sediments were obtained using FTIR-ATR spectroscopy. The theoretical model is supported by proxies of bone structure, grave soil/sediments, and location of the bone within the skeleton. The general model explained 61 % of mercury variance. Additionally, Partial Least Square - Prediction Oriented Segmentation (PLS-POS) was also used to check for segmentation in the dataset. POS revealed two group of samples depending on the bone phase (hydroxyapatite or collagen) controlling the Hg content, and the corresponding models explained 86 % and 76 % of Hg variance, respectively. The results suggest that mercury behaviour in the graves is complex, and that mercury concentrations were influenced by i) the ante-mortem status of the bone matrix, related to the weight of each bone phase; ii) post-mortem evolution of bone crystallinity, where bone loses mercury with increasing alteration; and iii) the proximity of the skeletal pieces to mercury target organs, as decomposition and collapse of the thoracic and abdominal soft tissues causes a secondary mercury enrichment in bones from the body trunk during early post-mortem. Skeletons provide a source of mercury to the soil whereas soil/sediments contribute little to skeletal mercury content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noemi Álvarez-Fernández
- CRETUS, EcoPast (GI-1553), Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 16782, Spain; Boscalia Technologies S.L., Spain.
| | - Antonio Martínez Cortizas
- CRETUS, EcoPast (GI-1553), Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 16782, Spain; Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, Stockholm SE-10691, Sweden
| | - Olalla López-Costas
- EcoPast (GI-1553), CRETUS, Area of Archaeology, Department of History, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Spain; Archaeological Research Laboratory, Stockholm University, Wallenberglaboratoriet, SE-10691, Sweden; Laboratorio de Antropología Física, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Granada, 18012, Spain
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4
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Virginia Alves Martins M, Cazelli L, Yhasnara M, da CristineSilva L, Barros Saibro M, Bobco FER, Rubio B, Ferreira B, Castelo WFL, Santos JF, Ribeiro S, Frontalini F, Martínez-Colón M, Pereira E, Antonioli L, Geraldes M, Rocha F, Sousa SHME, Manuel Alveirinho Dias J. Factors driving sediment compositional change in the distal area of the Ria de Vigo (NW Spain): oceanographic processes vs. paleopollution. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:69652-69679. [PMID: 35576033 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-20607-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
We analyze potential Late Holocene metal contamination along a sediment core collected in the distal zone of Ria de Vigo (North Spain). Statistical treatment of the dataset based on a multiproxy approach enabled us to identify and disentangle factors influencing the depositional processes and the preservation of the records of this activity in the area over the last ≈3000 years BP. Some layers of the analyzed core have significant enrichment in Cu and a moderate enrichment in Ag, Mo, As, Sb, S, Zn, Ni, Sn, Cd, Cr, Co, Pb, and Li. The enrichment of these elements in some layers of this core may be related to mining activities that have taken place since classical times in the region. Successive phases of pollution were identified along the core KSGX24 related to the Late Bronze Age (≈3000-2450 years BP), Iron Age (≈2450-1850 years BP), Roman times (≈1850-1550 years BP), Middle Ages (≈1250-500 years BP), and industrial and modern (≈250-0 years BP) anthropic activities. The protection of the Cies Islands, the erosive and transport capacity of the rivers in the region, oscillations of the oceanographic and climatic regime, atmospheric contamination, and diagenetic sedimentary processes might have contributed to the accumulation and preservation of this record in the distal region of the Ria de Vigo. The studied core shows that the industrial and preindustrial anthropic impacts caused an environmental liability and contributed to the presence of moderate to heavy pollution of various metals in surface and subsurface sediment layers in the distal sector of the Ria de Vigo, which could be a hazard to biota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Virginia Alves Martins
- Faculdade de Geologia, Universidade Do Estado Do Rio de Janeiro, UERJ, Av. São Francisco Xavier, 24, sala 2020A, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-013, Brazil.
- GeoBioTec, Departamento de Geociências, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - Lucas Cazelli
- Faculdade de Geologia, Universidade Do Estado Do Rio de Janeiro, UERJ, Av. São Francisco Xavier, 24, sala 2020A, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-013, Brazil
| | - Missilene Yhasnara
- Faculdade de Geologia, Universidade Do Estado Do Rio de Janeiro, UERJ, Av. São Francisco Xavier, 24, sala 2020A, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-013, Brazil
| | - Layla da CristineSilva
- Faculdade de Geologia, Universidade Do Estado Do Rio de Janeiro, UERJ, Av. São Francisco Xavier, 24, sala 2020A, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-013, Brazil
| | - Murilo Barros Saibro
- Faculdade de Geologia, Universidade Do Estado Do Rio de Janeiro, UERJ, Av. São Francisco Xavier, 24, sala 2020A, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-013, Brazil
| | - Fabia Emanuela Rafaloski Bobco
- Universidade Federal Do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Instituto de Geociências (Igeo) Av. Athos da Silveira Ramos, Bloco G, Cidade. Universitária, Ilha Do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 274, Brazil
| | - Belen Rubio
- Departamento de Xeociencias Mariñas E Ordenación Do Territorio, Universidade de Vigo, Edificio de Ciencias Experimentais Campus de Vigo, 36310, Vigo, Spain
| | - Bruna Ferreira
- GeoBioTec, Departamento de Geociências, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Wellen Fernanda Louzada Castelo
- Faculdade de Geologia, Universidade Do Estado Do Rio de Janeiro, UERJ, Av. São Francisco Xavier, 24, sala 2020A, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-013, Brazil
| | - José Francisco Santos
- GeoBioTec, Departamento de Geociências, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Sara Ribeiro
- GeoBioTec, Departamento de Geociências, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Fabrizio Frontalini
- Department of Pure and Applied Sciences, Università Degli Studi Di Urbino "Carlo Bo", 61029, Urbino, Italy
| | - Michael Martínez-Colón
- School of the Environment, FSH Science Research Center, Florida A and M University, 1515 South MLK Blvd, Tallahassee, FLFL USA, 32307, USA
| | - Egberto Pereira
- Faculdade de Geologia, Universidade Do Estado Do Rio de Janeiro, UERJ, Av. São Francisco Xavier, 24, sala 2020A, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-013, Brazil
| | - Luzia Antonioli
- Faculdade de Geologia, Universidade Do Estado Do Rio de Janeiro, UERJ, Av. São Francisco Xavier, 24, sala 2020A, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-013, Brazil
| | - Mauro Geraldes
- Faculdade de Geologia, Universidade Do Estado Do Rio de Janeiro, UERJ, Av. São Francisco Xavier, 24, sala 2020A, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-013, Brazil
| | - Fernando Rocha
- GeoBioTec, Departamento de Geociências, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | | | - João Manuel Alveirinho Dias
- Centro de Investigação Marinha E Ambiental (CIMA), Universidade Do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro, Portugal
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Guo LY, He X, Hong ZN, Xu RK. Effect of the interaction of fulvic acid with Pb(II) on the distribution of Pb(II) between solid and liquid phases of four minerals. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:68680-68691. [PMID: 35543790 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-20315-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Lead (Pb) is one of the top metal pollutants worldwide, and its distribution between liquid and solid phases of soils is strongly controlled by its adsorption on minerals, organic matter, and their composites. This paper presented the effect of fulvic acid (FA) coexistence on the distribution of Pb(II) at the solid-liquid interface of four minerals, which provided reference for how to use humic substances to remove toxic Pb(II) in soils. The free Pb2+ of suspensions, measured by Pb ion selective electrode, was used to characterize the complexation of FA with Pb2+ at various pH. The adsorption isotherms of Pb(II) by montmorillonite, kaolinite, goethite, and gibbsite with and without FA were studied with batch experiments. Results indicated that the free Pb2+ decreased and complexed Pb(II) increased with the increase of FA concentration in Pb(II)-FA solutions, whether the initial concentration of Pb(II) was 0.1 or 1 mM. Pb2+ hydrolysis was low and the free Pb2+ concentration in pure lead solution without FA was generally unchanged with increasing solution pH at pH < 6.0. But free Pb2+ decreased with the increase of pH in the presence of FA, suggesting that the complexation ability of FA with Pb2+ increased with the increase of solution pH. The adsorption of Pb(II) by the minerals without FA followed the order: montmorillonite > kaolinite ≈ goethite > gibbsite at pH5.0. The Pb(II) adsorption by montmorillonite and kaolinite significantly enhanced with 1 g/L FA, while significantly inhibited with 3 g/L FA at low initial Pb(II) concentration. However, the effect of FA on Pb(II) adsorption by montmorillonite was greater than that of kaolinite, which was mainly related to the crystal layer structure, adsorption area, and cation exchange capacity of the minerals. The Pb(II) adsorption by goethite and gibbsite was significantly enhanced by the addition of both 1 g/L and 3 g/L FA, and the enhancement was more evident in goethite system. The effect of FA on the distribution of Pb(II) between solid and liquid phases of the minerals was determined by the factors such as the initial concentration ratio of FA to Pb(II), the adsorption capacity of minerals for FA, and the number of soluble complexes of FA with Pb2+. Therefore, the distribution of FA between solid and liquid of four minerals affected the distribution of Pb(II) between solid and liquid phases of the minerals greatly. The results can provide an important reference for understanding the distribution of Pb(II) and the dynamics and mobility of active components in polluted soils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin-Yu Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 210008, Nanjing, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xian He
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 210008, Nanjing, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zhi-Neng Hong
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 210008, Nanjing, China
| | - Ren-Kou Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 210008, Nanjing, China.
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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6
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Precursors and Antecedents of the Anthropocene. SOCIAL SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/socsci11070286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
There seem to be two sorts of debates about precursors and antecedents to the Anthropocene. One concerns the question whether the concept of the Anthropocene was captured by earlier terms, such as “noösphere” or “the Anthropozoic Era”. The other concerns whether the full-scale transformation of Earth systems was already, at least partially, triggered sometime prior to the 19th century Industrial Revolution. This paper takes a wider perspective, which may be seen as orthogonal to these debates, by enquiring whether there are other biological agents in Earth history who may have generated a new Epoch, and also by seeking to identify historical and prehistoric antecedents in human–nature relations that may foreshadow the Anthropocene. One conclusion is that humans are certainly not the first biotic agents becoming drivers of planetary system changes. Another conclusion, ironically, is that some cultural innovations that were adaptive under earlier conditions presently have become collectively mal-adaptive and contributory to the hazards of our new Epoch. Finally, it is suggested that while it may be unclear whether we can manage the socio-political challenges of our times, our adaptive versatility in principle ought to suffice to successfully manage the climate challenges of the Anthropocene.
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Álvarez-Fernández N, Martínez Cortizas A, García-López Z, López-Costas O. Approaching mercury distribution in burial environment using PLS-R modelling. Sci Rep 2021; 11:21231. [PMID: 34707177 PMCID: PMC8551184 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00768-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Mercury environmental cycle and toxicology have been widely researched. Given the long history of mercury pollution, researching mercury trends in the past can help to understand its behaviour in the present. Archaeological skeletons have been found to be useful sources of information regarding mercury loads in the past. In our study we applied a soil multi-sampling approach in two burials dated to the 5th to 6th centuries AD. PLRS modelling was used to elucidate the factors controlling mercury distribution. The model explains 72% of mercury variance and suggests that mercury accumulation in the burial soils is the result of complex interactions. The decomposition of the bodies not only was the primary source of mercury to the soil but also responsible for the pedogenetic transformation of the sediments and the formation of soil components with the ability to retain mercury. The amount of soft tissues and bone mass also resulted in differences between burials, indicating that the skeletons were a primary/secondary source of mercury to the soil (i.e. temporary sink). Within burial variability seems to depend on the proximity of the soil to the thoracic area, where the main mercury target organs were located. We also conclude that, in coarse textured soils, as the ones studied in this investigation, the finer fraction (i.e. silt + clay) should be analysed, as it is the most reactive and the one with the higher potential to provide information on metal cycling and incipient soil processes. Finally, our study stresses the need to characterise the burial soil environment in order to fully understand the role of the interactions between soil and skeleton in mercury cycling in burial contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Zaira García-López
- CRETUS, EcoPast (GI-1553), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago, Spain
| | - Olalla López-Costas
- EcoPast (GI-1553), CRETUS, Archaeology Department of History, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago, Spain.,Archaeological Research Laboratory, Wallenberglaboratoriet, Stockholm University, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden.,Laboratorio de Antropología Física, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Granada, 18012, Granada, Spain
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Doble PA, de Vega RG, Bishop DP, Hare DJ, Clases D. Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry Imaging in Biology. Chem Rev 2021; 121:11769-11822. [PMID: 34019411 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c01219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Elemental imaging gives insight into the fundamental chemical makeup of living organisms. Every cell on Earth is comprised of a complex and dynamic mixture of the chemical elements that define structure and function. Many disease states feature a disturbance in elemental homeostasis, and understanding how, and most importantly where, has driven the development of laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) as the principal elemental imaging technique for biologists. This review provides an outline of ICP-MS technology, laser ablation cell designs, imaging workflows, and methods of quantification. Detailed examples of imaging applications including analyses of cancers, elemental uptake and accumulation, plant bioimaging, nanomaterials in the environment, and exposure science and neuroscience are presented and discussed. Recent incorporation of immunohistochemical workflows for imaging biomolecules, complementary and multimodal imaging techniques, and image processing methods is also reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip A Doble
- Atomic Medicine Initiative, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Raquel Gonzalez de Vega
- Atomic Medicine Initiative, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - David P Bishop
- Atomic Medicine Initiative, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, New South Wales 2007, Australia
| | - Dominic J Hare
- Atomic Medicine Initiative, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, New South Wales 2007, Australia.,School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - David Clases
- Atomic Medicine Initiative, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, New South Wales 2007, Australia
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Simpson R, Cooper DML, Swanston T, Coulthard I, Varney TL. Historical overview and new directions in bioarchaeological trace element analysis: a review. ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2021; 13:24. [PMID: 33520004 PMCID: PMC7810633 DOI: 10.1007/s12520-020-01262-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Given their strong affinity for the skeleton, trace elements are often stored in bones and teeth long term. Diet, geography, health, disease, social status, activity, and occupation are some factors which may cause differential exposure to, and uptake of, trace elements, theoretically introducing variability in their concentrations and/or ratios in the skeleton. Trace element analysis of bioarchaeological remains has the potential, therefore, to provide rich insights into past human lifeways. This review provides a historical overview of bioarchaeological trace element analysis and comments on the current state of the discipline by highlighting approaches with growing momentum. Popularity for the discipline surged following preliminary studies in the 1960s to 1970s that demonstrated the utility of strontium (Sr) as a dietary indicator. During the 1980s, Sr/Ca ratio and multi-element studies were commonplace in bioarchaeology, linking trace elements with dietary phenomena. Interest in using trace elements for bioarchaeological inferences waned following a period of critiques in the late 1980s to 1990s that argued the discipline failed to account for diagenesis, simplified complex element uptake and regulation processes, and used several unsuitable elements for palaeodietary reconstruction (e.g. those under homeostatic regulation, those without a strong affinity for the skeleton). In the twenty-first century, trace element analyses have been primarily restricted to Sr and lead (Pb) isotope analysis and the study of toxic trace elements, though small pockets of bioarchaeology have continued to analyse multiple elements. Techniques such as micro-sampling, element mapping, and non-traditional stable isotope analysis have provided novel insights which hold the promise of helping to overcome limitations faced by the discipline. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12520-020-01262-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Simpson
- Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK Canada
- Present Address: Department of Anthropology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Canada
| | - David M. L. Cooper
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK Canada
| | - Treena Swanston
- Department of Anthropology, Economics and Political Science, MacEwan University, Edmonton, AB Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, MacEwan University, Edmonton, AB Canada
| | | | - Tamara L. Varney
- Department of Anthropology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON Canada
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10
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Corella JP, Sierra MJ, Garralón A, Millán R, Rodríguez-Alonso J, Mata MP, de Vera AV, Moreno A, González-Sampériz P, Duval B, Amouroux D, Vivez P, Cuevas CA, Adame JA, Wilhelm B, Saiz-Lopez A, Valero-Garcés BL. Recent and historical pollution legacy in high altitude Lake Marboré (Central Pyrenees): A record of mining and smelting since pre-Roman times in the Iberian Peninsula. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 751:141557. [PMID: 32882549 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
We have analyzed potential harmful trace elements (PHTE; Pb, Hg, Zn, As and Cu) on sediment cores retrieved from lake Marboré (LM) (2612 m a.s.l, 42°41'N; 0° 2'E). PHTE variability allowed us to reconstruct the timing and magnitude of trace metal pollutants fluxes over the last 3000 years in the Central Pyrenees. A statistical treatment of the dataset (PCA) enabled us to discern the depositional processes of PHTE, that reach the lake via direct atmospheric deposition. Indeed, the location of LM above the atmospheric boundary layer makes this lake an exceptional site to record the long-range transport of atmospheric pollutants in the free troposphere. Air masses back-trajectories analyses enabled us to understand the transport pathways of atmospheric pollutants while lead isotopic analyses contributed to evaluate the source areas of metal pollution in SW Europe during the Late Holocene. PHTE variability, shows a clear agreement with the main exploitation phases of metal resources in Southern Europe during the Pre-Industrial Period. We observed an abrupt lead enrichment from 20 to 375 yrs CE mostly associated to silver and lead mining and smelting practices in Southern Iberia during the Roman Empire. This geochemical data suggests that regional atmospheric metal pollution during the Roman times rivalled the Industrial Period. PHTE also increased during the High and Late Middle Ages (10-15th centuries) associated to a reactivation of mining and metallurgy activities in high altitude Pyrenean mining sites during climate amelioration phases. Atmospheric mercury deposition in the Lake Marboré record mostly reflects global emissions, particularly from Almadén mines (central Spain) and slightly fluctuates during the last three millennia with a significant increase during the last five centuries. Our findings reveal a strong mining-related pollution legacy in alpine lakes and watersheds that needs to be considered in management plans for mountain ecosystems as global warming and human pressure effects may contribute to their future degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- J P Corella
- Universite Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IRD, IGE, 38000 Grenoble, France; CIEMAT - Environmental Department (DMA), Avenida Complutense 40, E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - M J Sierra
- CIEMAT - Environmental Department (DMA), Avenida Complutense 40, E-28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - A Garralón
- CIEMAT - Environmental Department (DMA), Avenida Complutense 40, E-28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - R Millán
- CIEMAT - Environmental Department (DMA), Avenida Complutense 40, E-28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - J Rodríguez-Alonso
- CIEMAT - Environmental Department (DMA), Avenida Complutense 40, E-28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - M P Mata
- Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Rios Rosas 23, 28003 Madrid, Spain
| | - A Vicente de Vera
- Pyrenean Institute of Ecology, CSIC, Avda Montañana 1005, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - A Moreno
- Pyrenean Institute of Ecology, CSIC, Avda Montañana 1005, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - P González-Sampériz
- Pyrenean Institute of Ecology, CSIC, Avda Montañana 1005, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - B Duval
- Universite de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, IPREM, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-chimie pour l'Environnement et les matériaux, Pau, France, 64000 Pau, France
| | - D Amouroux
- Universite de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, IPREM, Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physico-chimie pour l'Environnement et les matériaux, Pau, France, 64000 Pau, France
| | - P Vivez
- Centro de Estudios de Sobrarbe, Sociedad Española para la Defensa del Patrimonio Geológico Y Minero, Plaza España, 22340 Boltaña, Huesca, Spain
| | - C A Cuevas
- Department of Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate, Institute of Physical Chemistry Rocasolano, CSIC, Serrano 119, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - J A Adame
- Atmospheric Sounding Station, El Arenosillo Observatory, Atmospheric Research and Instrumentation Branch, National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), Mazagón, Huelva, Spain
| | - B Wilhelm
- Universite Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IRD, IGE, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - A Saiz-Lopez
- Department of Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate, Institute of Physical Chemistry Rocasolano, CSIC, Serrano 119, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - B L Valero-Garcés
- Pyrenean Institute of Ecology, CSIC, Avda Montañana 1005, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain
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11
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Gustin MS, Bank MS, Bishop K, Bowman K, Branfireun B, Chételat J, Eckley CS, Hammerschmidt CR, Lamborg C, Lyman S, Martínez-Cortizas A, Sommar J, Tsui MTK, Zhang T. Mercury biogeochemical cycling: A synthesis of recent scientific advances. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 737:139619. [PMID: 32783819 PMCID: PMC7430064 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The focus of this paper is to briefly discuss the major advances in scientific thinking regarding: a) processes governing the fate and transport of mercury in the environment; b) advances in measurement methods; and c) how these advances in knowledge fit in within the context of the Minamata Convention on Mercury. Details regarding the information summarized here can be found in the papers associated with this Virtual Special Issue of STOTEN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mae Sexauer Gustin
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89439, USA.
| | - Michael S Bank
- Department of Contaminants and Biohazards, Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway; Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01255, USA
| | - Kevin Bishop
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7050, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Katlin Bowman
- Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, 8272 Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing, CA 95039, USA; University of California Santa Cruz, Ocean Sciences Department, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Brian Branfireun
- Department of Biology and Centre for Environment and Sustainability, Western University, London, Canada
| | - John Chételat
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Chris S Eckley
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region-10, 1200 6th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
| | - Chad R Hammerschmidt
- Wright State University, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, 3640 Colonel Glenn Highway, Dayton, OH 45435, USA
| | - Carl Lamborg
- University of California Santa Cruz, Ocean Sciences Department, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Seth Lyman
- Bingham Research Center, Utah State University, 320 N Aggie Blvd., Vernal, UT, USA
| | - Antonio Martínez-Cortizas
- EcoPast (GI-1553), Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Jonas Sommar
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550081, China
| | - Martin Tsz-Ki Tsui
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27402, USA
| | - Tong Zhang
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China
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