Assessment of carbon, oxygen, strontium, and lead isotopic variation in modern Colombian teeth: An application to human identification

Abstract

Colombia faces the complex humanitarian challenges of locating approximately 100,000 missing persons and identifying thousands who are deceased. Identification is a difficult task in many cases, because the skeletonized bodies are deteriorated, missing person data are unavailable for comparison, and the provenance of the remains is often totally unknown. Isotopic analysis of human tissues (e.g., bone, hair, nails, and teeth) aid in the identification process of unknown individuals because they can provide valuable information on possible geographic origin. This project evaluated the isotopic variability of carbon (C), oxygen (O), strontium (Sr), and lead (Pb) in modern Colombian teeth according to city, department (a political designation similar to “state” in the US or Mexico), and one of four geographically determined regions of origin; and assessed its utility for human identification in Colombia. Isotopic data (O-C-Sr-Pb) were analyzed from modern Colombians originating from the cities of Bogotá, Cali, and Neiva (n = 95); and these data were compiled with published Colombian data of individuals mainly from the city of Medellín (n = 61). Results indicate a wide range and overlap of O-C-Sr-Pb isotopic distribution according to the defined categories. However, differences between coastal and lowland individuals are observed when using δ18O values, and differences between mountainous regions are observed when using 87Sr/86Sr values. In addition, this study suggests that the usefulness of isotopic analysis for unidentified individuals in Colombia would be with assigning them geographically using the designations of North, Central Andes, Eastern Andes, or Southwest Andes versus making classifications at a city or department level.