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The Effect of Time on Bone Fluorescence: Implications for Using Alternate Light Sources to Search for Skeletal Remains
- Source :
- Journal of Forensic Sciences. 61:442-444
- Publication Year :
- 2015
- Publisher :
- Wiley, 2015.
-
Abstract
- Bones fluoresce when exposed to certain wavelengths of shortwave light, and this property can be useful in locating and sorting skeletal remains in forensic contexts. The proteins in bone collagen are largely responsible for its fluorescent properties, but these proteins degrade and denature over time. This study examined the fluorescence of bones from four temporal groups (recent, semi-recent, ancient, and historic) ranging from 0 to 1064 years before present. Specimens were photographed under 490 nm wavelength light, and fluorescence was quantified by converting intensity to a gray scale value based on the RGB color model using ImageJ(®) software. Significant (p < 0.05) differences were found in mean fluorescence between all four temporal groups, and a 0.324 coefficient of correlation indicates a significant (inverse) relationship between fluorescence and time. Bone fluorescence decreases with time, but some fluorescence is retained even in older samples. Fluorescence can therefore be reliably used in many modern skeletal remains searches.
- Subjects :
- Time Factors
Bone collagen
Light
Swine
Chemistry
010401 analytical chemistry
Mineralogy
History, 19th Century
01 natural sciences
Fluorescence
Bone and Bones
0104 chemical sciences
Pathology and Forensic Medicine
03 medical and health sciences
Wavelength
0302 clinical medicine
Genetics
Biophysics
Animals
Forensic Anthropology
Humans
030216 legal & forensic medicine
History, Ancient
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 00221198
- Volume :
- 61
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Forensic Sciences
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....e65ff66ee35aa0b5e7ccb4a71e3bb533