Small-angle X-ray scattering: A high-throughput technique for investigating archaeological bone preservation

TY - JOUR

T1 - Small-angle X-ray scattering

T2 - A high-throughput technique for investigating archaeological bone preservation

AU - Hiller, J. C.

AU - Collins, M. J.

AU - Chamberlain, A. T.

AU - Wess, T. J.

PY - 2004/10

Y1 - 2004/10

N2 - Diagenetic alteration to archaeological bone can cause significant disruption to both the biogenic mineral structure and the preservation of biomolecular resources such as protein and DNA over archaeological time. We report here the use of a technique, small-angle X-ray scattering, which makes it possible to examine the alteration to the mineral surface due to diagenesis. This method has previously been applied to archaeological bone thin sections, but has been modified in this case for use on bone powder as a high-throughput screening technique for bone preservation. Our results show that mineral structural change is not necessarily reflected in the currently used methods of measuring lattice perfection, and that the preservation of archaeological biomolecules may be linked to structural alteration as much as to crystallinity.

AB - Diagenetic alteration to archaeological bone can cause significant disruption to both the biogenic mineral structure and the preservation of biomolecular resources such as protein and DNA over archaeological time. We report here the use of a technique, small-angle X-ray scattering, which makes it possible to examine the alteration to the mineral surface due to diagenesis. This method has previously been applied to archaeological bone thin sections, but has been modified in this case for use on bone powder as a high-throughput screening technique for bone preservation. Our results show that mineral structural change is not necessarily reflected in the currently used methods of measuring lattice perfection, and that the preservation of archaeological biomolecules may be linked to structural alteration as much as to crystallinity.

KW - Biomolecular archaeology

KW - Bone preservation

KW - Diagenesis

KW - SAXS

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=4544329562&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jas.2004.02.013

DO - 10.1016/j.jas.2004.02.013

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:4544329562

SN - 0305-4403

VL - 31

SP - 1349

EP - 1359

JO - Journal of Archaeological Science

JF - Journal of Archaeological Science

IS - 10

ER -