A comparison of crystal structure in fresh, burned and archaic bone – Implications for forensic sampling

Abstract

Standard protocols for extracting DNA from bone are variable and are largely dependent on the state of preservation. In archaic samples, endogenous DNA is believed to be tightly bound to crystal aggregates in the Hydroxyapatite (HAp) matrix requiring prolonged demineralisation to allow its release. By comparison, fresh bone contains abundant cellular material, discounting the need for demineralisation. Recommendations for incinerated bone, specifically how viable sampling sites should be selected and the ideal techniques for DNA recovery are unclear, and the protocol used is often selected based on macroscopic sample appearance.It has been postulated that like archaic bone, burned bone is ‘highly degraded’ and therefore aDNA techniques may present better results for DNA recovery than using fresh protocols. However, little research has been undertaken comparing the crystal structure of burnt, fresh and archaic bone. This study uses a combination of XRPD and SEM analysis to compare the crystalline profile and microscopic appearance of burned bone subjected to temperatures ranging from 100–1000°C, with archaic and fresh samples. Although macroscopically visually different, fresh samples and samples heated up to 500°C showed no microscopic differences or significant changes in crystallinity. By comparison, samples heated above 500°C became significantly more crystalline, with HAp crystal size increasing dramatically. Archaic samples were different again, more closely resembling the amorphous fresh samples than the highly crystalline incinerated samples. These results suggests that, potentially, samples burned at 500°C or lower can be treated as fresh samples, whilst samples exposed to higher temperatures may require adapted protocols. Whether or not these highly burned samples require demineralisation needs to be investigated.