BOMB PEAK: RADIOCARBON DATING OF SKELETAL REMAINS IN ROUTINE
FORENSIC MEDICAL PRACTICE

J 2018

BOMB PEAK: RADIOCARBON DATING OF SKELETAL REMAINS IN ROUTINE FORENSIC MEDICAL PRACTICE

HANDLOS, Petr, Ivo SVETLIK, Ladislava HORÁČKOVÁ, Michal FEJGL, Lukas KOTIK et. al.

Basic information

Original name

BOMB PEAK: RADIOCARBON DATING OF SKELETAL REMAINS IN ROUTINE FORENSIC MEDICAL PRACTICE

Authors

HANDLOS, Petr (203 Czech Republic), Ivo SVETLIK (203 Czech Republic, guarantor), Ladislava HORÁČKOVÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Michal FEJGL (203 Czech Republic), Lukas KOTIK (203 Czech Republic), Veronika BRYCHOVA (203 Czech Republic), Natalia MEGISOVA (203 Czech Republic) and Klara MARECOVA (203 Czech Republic)

Edition

RADIOCARBON, TUCSON, UNIV ARIZONA DEPT GEOSCIENCES, 2018, 0033-8222

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

30106 Anatomy and morphology

Country of publisher

United States of America

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

Impact factor

Impact factor: 1.531

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14110/18:00104161

Organization unit

Faculty of Medicine

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/RDC.2018.72

UT WoS

000444237700002

Keywords in English

forensic medicine; radiocarbon bomb peak dating; skeletal remains

Abstract

V originále

When human remains are found, apart from helping explain the cause of death and determining the extent of any injuries, forensic pathologists are usually requested to determine the identity of the deceased and how much time has elapsed since his death. In the Czech Republic, the criminal liability for murder is set to a statute of limitations of 20 years. In our pilot study, tissue samples of human remains from two decedents were radiocarbon (C-14) dated to estimate the date of death. In agreement with published literature, we have confirmed relatively short carbon turnover time in hair, nail, and bone fat. Therefore these samples are the most appropriate for determining date of death. Other samples, such as teeth (collagen and carbonate form) and collagen isolated from bone samples, which exhibit relatively long carbon turnover time, can be used to reduce ambiguity of dating results and to indicate some interfering influences. Given the possibility of processing multiple sample types, we also propose brief guidelines for comparing and interpreting the results of individual analyses.

Citovat

HANDLOS, Petr, Ivo SVETLIK, Ladislava HORÁČKOVÁ, Michal FEJGL, Lukas KOTIK, Veronika BRYCHOVA, Natalia MEGISOVA and Klara MARECOVA. BOMB PEAK: RADIOCARBON DATING OF SKELETAL REMAINS IN ROUTINE FORENSIC MEDICAL PRACTICE. RADIOCARBON. TUCSON: UNIV ARIZONA DEPT GEOSCIENCES, 2018, vol. 60, No 4, p. 1017-1028. ISSN 0033-8222. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1017/RDC.2018.72.

@article{1454336,
   author = {Handlos, Petr and Svetlik, Ivo and Horáčková, Ladislava and Fejgl, Michal and Kotik, Lukas and Brychova, Veronika and Megisova, Natalia and Marecova, Klara},
   article_location = {TUCSON},
   article_number = {4},
   doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/RDC.2018.72},
   keywords = {forensic medicine; radiocarbon bomb peak dating; skeletal remains},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {0033-8222},
   journal = {RADIOCARBON},
   title = {BOMB PEAK: RADIOCARBON DATING OF SKELETAL REMAINS IN ROUTINE FORENSIC MEDICAL PRACTICE},
   volume = {60},
   year = {2018}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 1454336
AU  - Handlos, Petr - Svetlik, Ivo - Horáčková, Ladislava - Fejgl, Michal - Kotik, Lukas - Brychova, Veronika - Megisova, Natalia - Marecova, Klara
PY  - 2018
TI  - BOMB PEAK: RADIOCARBON DATING OF SKELETAL REMAINS IN ROUTINE FORENSIC MEDICAL PRACTICE
JF  - RADIOCARBON
VL  - 60
IS  - 4
SP  - 1017-1028
EP  - 1017-1028
PB  - UNIV ARIZONA DEPT GEOSCIENCES
SN  - 00338222
KW  - forensic medicine
KW  - radiocarbon bomb peak dating
KW  - skeletal remains
N2  - When human remains are found, apart from helping explain the cause of death and determining the extent of any injuries, forensic pathologists are usually requested to determine the identity of the deceased and how much time has elapsed since his death. In the Czech Republic, the criminal liability for murder is set to a statute of limitations of 20 years. In our pilot study, tissue samples of human remains from two decedents were radiocarbon (C-14) dated to estimate the date of death. In agreement with published literature, we have confirmed relatively short carbon turnover time in hair, nail, and bone fat. Therefore these samples are the most appropriate for determining date of death. Other samples, such as teeth (collagen and carbonate form) and collagen isolated from bone samples, which exhibit relatively long carbon turnover time, can be used to reduce ambiguity of dating results and to indicate some interfering influences. Given the possibility of processing multiple sample types, we also propose brief guidelines for comparing and interpreting the results of individual analyses.
ER  -

HANDLOS, Petr, Ivo SVETLIK, Ladislava HORÁČKOVÁ, Michal FEJGL, Lukas KOTIK, Veronika BRYCHOVA, Natalia MEGISOVA and Klara MARECOVA. BOMB PEAK: RADIOCARBON DATING OF SKELETAL REMAINS IN ROUTINE FORENSIC MEDICAL PRACTICE. \textit{RADIOCARBON}. TUCSON: UNIV ARIZONA DEPT GEOSCIENCES, 2018, vol.~60, No~4, p.~1017-1028. ISSN~0033-8222. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1017/RDC.2018.72.

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