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Application of laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA–ICP–MS) to investigate trace metal spatial distributions in human tooth enamel and dentine growth layers and pulp

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Abstract

Human tooth enamel provides a nearly permanent and chronological record of an individual’s nutritional status and anthropogenic trace metal exposure during development; it might thus provide an excellent bio archive. We investigated the micro-spatial distribution of trace metals (Cu, Fe, Mg, Sr, Pb, and Zn) in 196×339 μm2 raster pattern areas (6.6×104 μm2) in a deciduous tooth using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA–ICP–MS). Ablated areas include prenatal and postnatal enamel, the neonatal line, the dentine–enamel junction (DEJ), dentine, and the dentine–pulp junction. Topographic variations in the surface elemental distribution of lead, zinc, strontium, and iron intensities in a deciduous tooth revealed heterogeneous distribution within and among regions. 43Ca normalized elemental intensities showed the following order: Sr>Mg>>Zn>Pb>Fe>Cu. Elevated zinc and lead levels were present in the dental pulp region and at the neonatal line. This study demonstrates the ability of LA–ICP–MS to provide unique elemental distribution information in micro spatial areas of dental hard tissues. Elemental distribution plots could be useful in decoding nutrition and pollution information embedded in their bio apatite structure.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the National Science Foundation (NSF) Collaborative Research in Undergraduate Institutions (CRUI, Grant #DBI-9978793) for funding this research project. Additional financial support was obtained from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to Hampshire College (HHMI #71100–503803) and the Kresge Foundation. We wish to acknowledge the expert laboratory assistance of Kristen Shrout and Alexis Dolphin and assistance in the field from Homero Martinez and Luzmaria Mendez, the principal investigators of the original Solis study, Adolpho Chavez, Lindsay Allen and Gretel Pelto, and finally, the openness and kindness of the study participants.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Natural Science, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA, 01002, USA

    Daniel Kang, Dulasiri Amarasiriwardena & Alan H. Goodman

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  1. Daniel Kang
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  2. Dulasiri Amarasiriwardena
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  3. Alan H. Goodman
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dulasiri Amarasiriwardena.

Additional information

Presented in part at the 2002 Winter Conference on Plasma Spectrochemistry, Scottsdale, AZ, January 6–12, 2002. The poster was selected as an outstanding poster presentation.

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Kang, D., Amarasiriwardena, D. & Goodman, A.H. Application of laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA–ICP–MS) to investigate trace metal spatial distributions in human tooth enamel and dentine growth layers and pulp. Anal Bioanal Chem 378, 1608–1615 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-004-2504-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-004-2504-6

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