TY  - JOUR
A1  - Bourgon, Nicolas
A1  - Oelze, Marcus
A1  - Roberts, Patrick
T1  - Less is more: Limiting semi-invasive sampling for multi-isotope analyses and increasing data output from single aliquot samples
JF  - Journal of Archaeological Science
N2  - Developments in multi-isotope applications now enable the production of direct and precise life history data of studied archeological and paleoanthropological specimens, with analysis of tooth enamel proving particularly powerful in deep-time preservation contexts. However, the increasing amount of sample material necessary too-often compromises the specimen's structural integrity. Finding ways of minimizing semi-invasive sampling while maximizing produced data thus becomes increasingly crucial. In this study, we examine ways of optimizing sample use for state-of-the-art isotope measurements of enamel-bound zinc (δ66Zn), an increasingly used method in multi-isotope archeological research. We show that certain desolvating nebulizer introduction systems can be used to measure δ66Zn with high efficiency and accuracy using less than half the usual sample size. Moreover, we demonstrate that remaining samples subjected to typical pretreatments used for tooth enamel carbonate (δ13C and δ18O) studies can be safely used without alterations to δ66Zn values. Similarly, we highlight that the often-discarded matrix fraction from zinc chromatography can be utilized for further analyses, such as measurements of 87Sr/86Sr ratios. Our results underscore the possibility of extracting the maximum information from specimens while altogether avoiding or significantly reducing semi-invasive sampling.
KW  - Multi-isotope
KW  - Zinc isotope analysis
KW  - Tooth enamel
PY  - 2025
UR  - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-637986
DO  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2025.106308
SN  - 0305-4403
VL  - 180
SP  - 1
EP  - 8
PB  - Elsevier Ltd.
AN  - OPUS4-63798
LA  - eng
AD  - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany
ER  -